Fight with Fire and Fly
by musicalmidget
Summary: Katniss Everdeen is 17 years old and has survived the hunger games. In an act to save her partner she caused an uprising. To prove she is not a threat she must marry Peeta. The fate of all of Panem is in her hands! My twist in Catching Fire. **rated m**
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: __I do not own The Hunger Games. It belongs to the talented Suzanne characters and plot are used for the sole purpose of entertainment. No profit is made from this. _

My name is Katniss Everdeen. I'm 17 years old and I have survived the vicious capitol torture known as the Hunger Games. I'm also engaged to one Peeta Mellark. The two of us are being forced to marry thanks to President Snow. He wants me to convince him and everyone that I am deeply in love with Peeta, because of my stunt with the berries in the arena. He reminds me with genetically enhanced roses left in every room I stay in while I was on tour. I know that the life of my family, the very life of District 12 rests on my shoulders. I'm just a child. For the first time in my life I feel like a child. I want to curl up in my bed and have my mother brush my hair and tell me that it's all going to be alright. But that's not going to happen. I have to face the fact that I have to marry a boy who I pretended to love to stay alive. Peeta knows my feelings for him in the arena were all an act. I hate that he knows it. He could be happy, he deserves to be happy with a girl that can return his feelings. I care deeply for him, but it's like family. He's like a brother to me, but there is still that underlying emotion I felt in that cave. It's a feeling I've never felt, not even with Gale. Maybe I could love him in time, but is it fair to him?

I stand in the living room of my house in the victor's village, staring out into the small green square. Prim has done so much with the flowers and herbs here. It's something I look at when the nightmares of the arena become too much to handle. Today they are no help. I look out into the garden and see the small white blooms of Queen Anne's lace and begin to cry. I'm reminded of the way I covered little Rue's body in those very flowers. I pull close the curtains and sit down on the couch. I place my face in my hands and let the sobs take over. I barely notice the door open and my guest sit next to me. What pull me from my hands are the firm arms that circle my shoulders.

"Katniss?" the voice next to me whispers. I would recognize that voice anywhere. It was that same voice I head on my nights during the tour. The voice that made the nightmares go away. I look up into the pale blue eyes that I awakened to in the cave during the games.

"Peeta." I stutter out though my sobs.

"Are you okay?" he asks, running his hand down the long braid down my back. I nod, wiping the tears from my face.

"I was just thinking of the flowers Prim planted outside and it reminded me of Rue and I lost it." I tell him. He nods his head in understanding.

"I brought you some cheese buns, fresh from the oven." He says, placing a basket on the table. I smile and pull a bun from the basket and break it open.

"Thank you Peeta." I bite into the bread and savor the warm grains. I place the bread on the table and look to Peeta.

"You are always here when I need someone the most. How do you do it?" I ask, laying my head on his shoulder. I feel him shrug.

"Just lucky I guess." He whispers. I can't help but laugh at him.

"Do you think we'll ever be the same?"

"I hope so but I doubt it. I don't think I can ever forget what we went through. I don't want to."

"Me either. I just wish that we weren't being made to do this. You deserve to be happy, Peeta." I say, looking at him. He takes my hands in his and our pale eyes meet.

"What makes you think I'm not happy, Katniss? I'm marrying the girl I've loved for my entire life. I know it's not ideal, but I'm truly happy Katniss."

"But Peeta.." I begin but he softly touches his lips to mine and I stop talking. There's just something about his supple lips that just make me want to forget the whole world. He hand twists around my braid and he deepens the kiss. I hear a moan come from somewhere in the house and then realize the mundane sound came from me. I stop breathing for a split second and press my hand against his chest, pushing him away. He turns away from me, his face a deep pink.

"I'm sorry, Katniss. I shouldn't have done that." He says and starts to get up. I grab his arm and tug him back down to the couch.

"No, don't apologize." I say and bring his lips back to mine. I feel his shoulders go rigid and I pull away.

"Katniss, what are you doing?" he asks. I smile at him and for the first time I really think that I could be happy with him.

"Let's get married." I say.

"We are getting married, Katniss."

"No, I mean just us. No capitol, not being primped and prodded to look like the capitol freaks. Just you and me and the woods." I say, turning to look straight at him.

"Katniss, are you sure about this? I'm not saying no, because right now all I want to do is call you mine forever. But I don't want you to do something just to defy the capitol."

"I want this Peeta. I didn't know I wanted it until now. Peeta, you know me better than anyone here. Better than maybe even Prim. You know why the nightmares come. You know how to make them go away. I can't imagine going to bed for the rest of my life and you not being there to make the nightmares go away." I say and hug him tightly.

"Okay." He whispers. I smile up at him and grab the basket of bread. He takes my hand in his and I let him lead me out of the house. I lead him to a weak spot in the fence and take him to the small stream where Gale and I fish. He go about gathering things to make a fire and I catch a few fish and gather some roots and plants for a feast. By the time I've returned, he's made a beautiful fire and placing a single cheese bun on a stick. I grin and place the food in the basket and take a seat next to him. He hands it to me and I take a bite then he takes a bite. I lean into him and kiss his soft lips and together we place the stick and the bread into the fire and watch as the fire engulfs the bread, stick and all. Peeta pulls me into his arms and we watch as the flame burns the bread to a crisp. He presses his head to mine and I feel his nose nuzzle into my hair. I look up and him, placing my arms behind his head and bring him to meet my lips. He moans as I slide my tongue into his mouth. I turn around in his arms and push him to the ground. His blue eyes look up at me in surprise.

"Katniss, what are you doing?"

"What does it look like?" I say and straddle his waist. He doesn't bother with another question. I grind my hips into his and I feel him go stiff beneath me. He sits up and flips up easily. I am grateful for the soft moss near the stream. He kisses me softly and then his tongue begins to explore my neck and collar bone. He then lifts me up slightly and pulls the simple t-shirt over my head and tosses it to the ground. He stares at my body and I swear I can feel my entire body begin to blush. Peeta takes his finger and traces the small mound of my breast then down the valley between them. I arch my back into his touch, gasping. He grins and reaches behind my back and removes my cotton bra. My blush deepens and he takes one of my nipples into his mouth and the releases it with a pop. Oh my god! I feel like my stomach is on fire. His hand massages my left breast as his mouth pays attention to the right. It's all I can do to not scream for him to stop and just take me. I place my hands on either side of his head and bring his lips to mine. When he comes up from air, I pull his shirt over his head. I trace the sculpted abs that have become more defined since being home.

"Peeta, please." I say softly. His face softens and he moves off of me and removes my pants and his own. I know now that my entire body his at least the color of the blood. My skin burns with my blush as I take in the site of his naked body. He crawls up my body and kisses me. I don't know what I'm doing, but I take him in my hand and lead him to me. He stops me before I urge him to enter. He licks two of his fingers and then moves them to my center. I take a sharp breath as his moves his fingers between my folds then moves them inside of me. I feel him curl them inside and I jump in pleasure. Whatever he's done makes me beg for more. He obliges. He moves his finger swiftly in and out of me and I feel like my entire body is about to explode. Before I reach that peak he removes his fingers and I whimper, wanting it back.

"Katniss, look at me." He whispers. I open my eyes, not realizing I had closed them

"I'll be gentle. I promise." He assures me. I nod and spread my legs further for him. He rubs his tip around the outside of my opening and I brace myself for his entrance. He gently pushes forward and I bit my lip to not scream at the pain. The look on my face must show the discomfort and he stops. I grip his arms and shake my head.

"Don't stop." I beg him. He pushes in further and the pain subsides and I'm filled with the most amazing sensation I've ever felt. Pure Happiness. He gently rocks with me until I beg him for more. Soon he's covered in a glistening layer of sweat as he moves within me. I wrap my legs around him and pull him deeper into me. Now I can't help but scream out his name as my body takes over. My stomach contracts and I feel the fire build and explode. I shudder slightly as the sensation works through my legs and to my toes. I feel him go rigid above me and feel a warmth fill me. He's finished. He collapses above me and my hands find his hair. I look down at him and I can't imagine a life with him not in it. He's my hero in every since of the word. I start to say something but the warning call of a mockingjay pulls both of us from our sweet bliss. We both jump and dress quickly and run to the fence. Just as we step into the Meadow, the hovercraft appears. I look up and then to Peeta. Our journey has just begun.


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer:__I do not own the Hunger Games. All characters are the property of Suzanne Collins. The original plot is my own and used for entertainment only. No profit is made from my writing._

_A/N: __Thank you so much for the reviews! I work a lot and can only write in the evenings so I can't promis I will always update in a timely fashion! _

Peeta and I reach the victors village just as Effie and my prep team enter my house. I roll my eyes and take his hand. He squeezes my hand and opens the door. Octavia embraces me so tightly that I can barely breathe. She talks a mile a minute about how our wedding is the talk of the capitol and how honored she is to be a small part of it. By the time she's finished she's in tears. I can't help but smile. They are in complete ignorance about everything. They somehow make this whole thing bearable. As they go to work, plucking, waxing and brushing my hair until it is smooth and shiny. As Venia picks up my hands she sighs.

"Couldn't you have left me something to work with?" she scolds and she goes to work on my rough edged nails. I shrug my shoulders and think back to the woods earlier today. Everything was perfect. It was just everything I needed to remind myself that the Capitol does not own me. They can have their big fancy wedding, but I did it my way. I must show the jot on my face because my prep team stops what they are doing and stare in disbelief at my grin.

"You're smiling!" Flavius exclaims.

"I have to say this is much more appealing than the scowl. What brings this on? You usually sigh and roll your eyes the entire time. " Venia chimes in. I look up to them then catch Peeta peering through the doorway and he shakes his head. We can't tell them. We have to make sure this stays our secret. I know technically we aren't married but we feel it. I know he wants to hold on to it for just a little while longer. I don't blame him. I look back up to Venia, whose waiting for my reply.

"Oh, well I was just thinking about how the garden is looking. Prim has done a wonderful job with it." I say. I am a terrible liar, I know it but the answer seems to be enough for them and they go back to work. Finally they are finished and I'm put into the first of my wedding dresses. It's beyond gorgeous and no doubt designed by Cinna himself. The camera crew takes in every detail, from the expression on my face when I look into the mirror, to my hands tracing the intricate designs in the lace. I'm in utter awe of the dress. I hear Octavia sniffle in a corner and grin. Too bad Peeta has been ushered away. He would love to see this. They say it's bad luck or something for him to see me before the wedding. After a few shots of me twirling and sticking my nose into a bouquet of red and orange roses, which makes me want to gag right there, I'm put into another dress and the sequence starts again. There are a total of four dresses, each one more beautiful than the next. How could I ever decide?

"I don't know which to pick!" I say, overwhelmed.

"Oh you didn't know? President Snow has made the public part of the wedding and has put a poll up on which dress you will wear. You won't know until the wedding." Octavia tells me as she unbuttons the gazillion buttons on the final dress. I turn around to her, anger filling me from head to toe.

"What? I don't even get to choose my own dress? It's my wedding!" I say, stamping my foot like the child I am.

"It's to make the people feel part of your special day, sweetheart." Haymitch says from the front door. I catch the look in his eye telling me to cool it. Fine I'll let Snow have his little wedding. Octavia stand a few feet from me. I've scared her.

"I'm sorry, Octavia. I just thought that it was unfair for me to not choose my own dress. I mean how many times does a girl get married?" I say with a shrug. Her green skins brightens and she comes back to help me out of the dress.

"It's okay. I understand why you would get upset, but think you get to have the wedding of the century!" she squeals. I force a smile and look to Haymitch, who nods in approval.

After getting my final comments on each of the dresses, my team bids me goodbye and leave for the capitol. I finally collapse onto the couch and just stare up at the bare ceiling of my house. I release a huge breath that I feel like I've been holding for the past 3 hours.

"You did good, sweetheart. Let's hope those giddy girl moments convince Snow that you are into this." Haymitch says, taking a seat next to me. He reeks. I purposely move further from him to avoid the smell.

"Thanks for compliment." I say, rolling my eyes. I fold my arms across my chest and sigh.

"Where's lover boy?" he asks.

"They made him leave. It's bad luck or something." I say with a shrug and close my eyes.

"Ah, Stupid capitol traditions." He says and then gets up to leave.

"Hey Haymitch!" I call after him. He turns around to face me.

"Take a shower." I say and grin. I hear him grumble something and then the door shut behind him. I get up and leave the house through my back window. I really don't want to run into Haymtch. Peeta is just where I thought he would be. He's just at the edge of the square, under a willow tree. He is drawing again. This tree always seems to calm him and he paints his most beautiful portraits. He sees me before I can even make a move to him. He gently places the drawing pad on the soft grass and meets me halfway. I wrap my arms around him and kiss him softly. As the kiss ends, he picks me up in his strong arms and twirls me around.

"Peeta, put me down!" I say. He immediately puts me down but I can't help smile.

"It was so hard not to just yell to them that I married you." He says and crosses behind me. He places his arms around my waist, resting his head on my shoulder.

"Me too. I don't even want the wedding."

"I know." He replies. We go back to his tree and he shows me the recent painting. I gasp. It's me in the first dress. I'm tracing the lace with my fingers and my face shows complete adoration.

"I should have known you were watching!" I say, shoving him slightly.

"You know me well. I couldn't help myself. When I saw you in this dress I couldn't bring myself to even look at the other dresses. That was it. Your face when you saw yourself was enough for me. I know that whatever dress is chosen, I'll be seeing you in this one." He explains.

"It was by far my favorite, so simple but so elegant. If I could choose, this would be it." I tell him. He nods and goes back to finishing the drawing. I tuck my feet up under my legs, like I did for our victor interviews after the games and lean into him as he draws. I don't know how much time goes but the air turns cold and the sunlight fade.

"Katniss! Come home! They are showing the dresses!" I hear Prim yell. I get up and kiss Peeta softly.

"I'll see you after?" I ask.

"Always." He touches the end of my braid, as he did in the games and then turns to go to his house.

I enter the house just at the Capitol seal comes on the screen. We all watch as I spin and twirl in the dresses. Prim is so excited and comments on each of the dresses. How my hair looks with the first or the way she doesn't like the way a dress hangs off my shoulder with the third. Just as the show ends, the anthem plays signaling a message from Snow himself. I think it's just the announcement to remind the citizens of Panem to vote on their favorite dress but I'm mistaken.

"Citizens of Panem. As you all know this year will bring the 75th Annual Hunger Games, making it a Quarter Quell. The rules for each district to send one boy and one girl to serve as tributes are slightly changed. This year the reaping of the tributes will be from the pool of existing victors in each district. Thank you and as always, May the odds be ever in your favor!"

The seal shows one more time and the screen goes blank. The thought registers for only one second before I hear Prim cry out. Existing victors, one male, one female. I'm going back. The thought barely registers and I cry out.

"Peeta!"


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own the Hunger Games. The characters and basic plot are the property of Suzanne Collins. The use of her characters is for the sole purpose of entertainment. No profit is made._

I barely get out of my house when I run smack into Peeta's arms. I'm crying, I know it, but I'm too numb to even feel it. His arms pull me tighter to him as he tries to soothe my cries.

"How can they do this to us?" I ask.

"Shh, it's okay. I don't know why. But it's going to be okay. You are coming out of that arena, Katniss, even if I have to die to make sure of it." He tells me. I look up and him and shake my head.

"No, because that means you won't be here when I come home. I can't lose you just when I've got you." I tell him, shaking my head. I know my face is a wreck. I pull away from him and wipe the tears from my face with my sleeve. This isn't fair. I've just found the boy I love and planned to spend the rest of my life with and he's about to be ripped away from me. There's no way I can even hope that both of us come out of this thing alive. I have to make sure he doesn't go and I come back to him. The reality of that situation hits me like a ton of bricks. If Peeta doesn't get reaped, it's Haymitch. If I come back to Peeta alive, Haymitch is dead. A world without Haymitch's dry humor and arrogance is a world I certainly don't want to live in. He's a pain in my ass sometimes but I love him dearly. He kept me alive in that arena. I owe so much to him and killing him is not on that list. I look up to find that he has joined Peeta and me on the green. His face shows the same look of despair and defeat mine does.

"Well this is just peachy!" he says. I roll my eyes. See that right there, I need that snarky attitude in my day. I manage to pull myself together and get up. Peeta grasps my hand nearly as tight as he had during the tribute parade. Now it was me that needed to hold on. Haymitch pulls the both of us away from my house and to the middle of the square.

"Listen all three of us are going back to the capitol. But this time we will be prepared." He says. Peeta looks at him then back to me.

"How do we prepare, Haymitch?" he asks. I look to Haymitch and know what he means.

"We train. Like Careers." I say and Peeta gets it. We all agree that we will not go down without a fight.

Over the next few weeks we train. Running and lifting weights. I teach both of them to hunt and we are all put on a diet that will make us gain weight and keep it. As the day finally approaches I want to crawl into a hollow log in the woods and die. But I don't. I put on the face that shows I don't care and I'm ready to go back. In a way I'm thankful that I'm the only female going in because it means that Prim's name will not be in that bowl. My mother braids up my hair and I put on a simple dress. As I arrive our lovely new head peacekeeper ushers me in a small 4 foot square. He actually holds on to me as if I plan on running or something. Haymitch and Peeta are right next to me and only a rope separates us. Peeta reaches his hand into my area and takes mine. I know that both of us are going back into that arena and I have make sure he comes back alive. It's the best chance my family has. As Effie climbs the stairs to the platform my stomach lurches. I chock it to nerves but as much as I try to swallow it down the more it my breakfast wants to make an appearance. Peeta notices my discomfort and leans over to whisper in my ear.

"Are you okay?" he asks. I nod.

"The milk must have gone bad. I feel sick." I tell him. What else is there? He moves his hand to my back and rubs circles into it. If only I could just throw up and get it over with. I know I'll feel better. I always have. But I can't, not with the camera's watching. I can't show weakness. I swallow hard and I feel like I can hold out for just a few minutes.

"Happy Hunger Games and may the odds be ever in your favor!" Effie says, cheerfully but I can notice the small hint of sorrow behind that capitol accent. She reaches into the bowl containing my name and pulls it out.

"Katniss Everdeen." I step out of my square, Peeta's hand lingering with mine as I step away, and walk up to the platform, head held high. Effie smiles at me and then reaches into the second bowl.

"Haymitch Abernathy." She sayd and I hold my breath hoping that the odds are in my favor and Peeta will stay in that square, but my heart sinks. Peeta is out of the square before Haymitch can even take a step.

"I volunteer!" he yells and runs to the platform. He immediately takes my hand.

"Give a round of applause to Districts 12's 75th Hunger Games Tributes, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark!" She says. Again there is no applause, just the silent salute that got a man killed in district 11. As the camera crews signal a cut for filming, Haymitch meets us on the platform.

"New routine." He says and all four of us are basically shoved into a vehicle with blacked out windows and driven directly to the train. I hear Prim's voice screaming behind me. I know I'll never see her again. I'm losing my resolve. I can't keep the façade up that I am okay. I grip Peeta's shirt in my hands and bury my face into his shoulder and cry.

"Oh this is just awful! How can President Snow do this to you? It's just terrible that you two must be separated." Effie says, blowing her nose into a handkerchief. I don't exactly see her but I can hear her. I pull my feet into the seat and curl as close as I possibly can into Peeta. I can feel his arms tighten around me but he's not speaking. None of us are. It's too hard. I finally feel the car come to a stop and I don't think I can pull away from Peeta but he lifts my chin up to meet his face and he kisses the tip of my nose.

"Don't let them win Katniss. You are stronger than this." He says and I nod. I wipe away the tears from my face and grip has hand. A peacekeeper opens our door and we are met with crowds of people shouting their anger at the capitol for making us go back. Some people are actually crying and clinging to one another as if they were losing their own child. I can't look at them. I climb into the train ahead of Peeta and Haymitch. The steel doors close behind us and we speed off. The lurch forward reminds my stomach that it's upset and I barely make it to the bathroom before I release the bile that threatened to ruin me at the reaping. I rinse out my mouth and don't even bother retuning to the lounge car. I find my own quarters and climb into the bed, pulling my knees to my chest, hoping to disappear.

I must have fallen asleep because it's past nightfall when Peeta comes to get me for dinner. I don't really feel like eating at all. I'm still nauseous and I just want to sleep, but I know Effie will object to me not coming to watching the reaping recap. I take a seat next to Peeta and rest my head on his shoulder as I pick at the stew on my plate. The smell is enough to make me want to puke. Why can't I shake this? Hopefully they will have something to make this thing go away. They have drinks to induce vomiting surely they have something to make it go away. I catch Haymitch looking at me and I scowl.

"What?" I ask.

"You're laying it on thick, aren't you sweetheart?" he asks, taking a bit of his stew. I'm not pretending. I truly love Peeta and it's killing me inside knowing that I have to lose him.

"Leave her be, Haymitch. She's sick." Peeta says and squeezes my hand beneath the table. He shrugs and the rest of the meal is eaten in silence. I can't even pretend to be interested in the recap of the reapings, but I try to focus and learn the names of the tributes. District 1's tributes are a brother and sister team who won in consecutive , Gloss and Cashmere. Have I mentioned I hate the ridiculous names the people have in 1? District 2, Brutus who looked more than eagar to compete again and Enobaria who from the tapes from Effie had won by ripping out a guys throat with her teeth. District 3 has two tribute at least in their fifties. I watch as an elderly woman, Mags, volunteers from district 4 in place of a young woman who looks like she could fall apart at the slightest movement. Finnick Odair is the male tribute and he's gorgeous. He has a reputation of being some kind of a heart breaker in the capitol. I put him and the tributes from Districts 1 and 2 on the top of my list of people not to trust. There's just something about that arrogant smile I just don't like. District 5's tributes I forget almost immediately as I do with the tributes from 9 and 10. I can't get over the look of the pair from district 6. Both have yellow paper thin skin and look like they couldn't weigh anymore than 80 pounds. I hear Effie say that they are addicting to a power drug in the capitol called Morphling. I put district 7's female, Johanna Mason in the list with Finnick and Districts 1 and 2. The thing that stands out from 8 is the female, Cecelia, has to pry herself from her three children and Effie's reaction to her being reaped. Apparently they are close. I don't watch the reaping in 11 because all I can see is the old man being shot in front me and Peeta and Rue's family. Then Peeta and I are shown, with a close up of our hands just as the seal returns to the screen.

I can't take anymore and I excuse myself and go to my room to lie down but can't fall asleep. I think of how each of the tributes won and how I must outsmart them all to ensure Peeta's survival, as I unbraid my hair. When I give up that I'm not getting any sleep and wonder the train and find Peeta in his own room watching previous games.

"Can't sleep?" I ask , walking into the room. He shrugs and opens is arms to me. I climb on to the couch and let him encase me in his embrace.

"Thank you." I whisper

"For what?"

"Dealing with Haymitch."

"It was nothing. I want to keep this between us as long as we can. It's ours to share." He says with a grim and kisses me softly.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better actually. I must have just eaten something that didn't agree with me."

"Good, I was worried about you." He says, running his hand through my hair. For the next few hours we discuss what allies we should take on and decide to wait until we meet them. We both give up on getting any sleep and watch more of the tapes. My hand comes across one we hadn't watched for the same reason we didn't want to watch our own. Haymitch's games. We decide since he's not here we would watch it. We watch him outsmart the capitol, just as we did. But none of us had planned to show up the precious gamemakers. We were just trying to survive. Haymitch catches us watching his tape but he doesn't say anything. He just goes back to his own room. Sobriety is not a good look for Haymitch. He looks worse than he did when he was drunk.

I finally let Peeta walk me to my room and make him stay with me. I don't care if Effie sees him in the morning. Tonight I need his arms around me. I need him to make me safe. Just for tonight. Tomorrow I become a pawn.


	4. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games. It belongs to the talented Suzanne characters and plot are used for the sole purpose of entertainment. No profit is made from this_

I didn't think that Cinna could outdo himself from last year's parade but he has. I'm dressed in a solid black leotard and on my head is half of a crown, designed to look like my victors crown. Cinna explains what the costume does but I barely pay any attention. I'm too focused on how I'm going to make these people like me. I thought I looked stupid dressed up in a costume but seeing it on the older victors, it's just ridiculous. I climb into the chariot and vaguely hear Cinna tell us not to hold hands and just to look straight ahead of us, showing that we don't like the way the games are being played this year. That shouldn't be hard. Pretending to be a young happy girl in love was the challenge for me. At least this year I don't have to pretend that so much. This year it's all about keeping Peeta alive. The anthem begins to play and the chariots are pulled forward by the ebony stallions and the crowd goes insane. I can barely hear the music over the crowd. People are angry. Peeta presses a button on the inside of my wrist and my leotard is transformed into a burning piece of coal. It's magnificent. We look like an ember that had been left to cool in the bottom of a raging fire. As we come into view of the crowd I hear more shouts of protest and anger. Out of the corner of my eye, I actually see a few people faint with desperation. People are crying, heartbroken to see their beloved star crossed lovers being forced into the games once again. I do as Cinna instructed and refuse to acknowledge the crowd. Finally our chariots come to a stop below the raised stage and Snow takes his spot at the microphone. If only I had an arrow. His voice booms through the speakers.

"Happy 75th Hunger Games and as always, May the Odds Be Ever in You Favor!" The chariots are once again pulled forward. Peeta helps me down from the chariot and Chaff, from district 11 meets me before I can take a step and kisses me. I don't know whether to stand there shocked or punch him. But punching him would be against the rules. I feel Peeta's hand squeeze mine. Chaff steps away from me and winks. I scoff as he walks away and I bring my hand to my mouth and wipe away the kiss. I wish I had some water to rinse out the taste of alcohol he left behind. Haymitch is next to us in a flash, laughing. I punch him in the shoulder and Effie mentions something about manners. I roll my eyes and the four of us walk to the elevator that will take us to the penthouse. Johanna Mason enters the elevator ahead of us and gushes over our costumes which have died out.

"Oh I just wish I had your stylists! I'm a tree. We're always trees!" she says, stripping the said costume off her body leaving her naked. I blush almost immediately. I turn and face Peeta whose grinning like a fool. How can he think this is funny? Or he is just looking at her body, which really ticks me off. I'm his wife! The elevator dings and opens on the 7th floor and Johanna exits. As the doors close, Peeta is nearly on the floor with laughter. I smack him across the shoulders.

"This is not funny, Peeta!" I yell and he laughs even harder. I turn around so my back is facing him, arms folded across my chest. I feel his arms go around me and I shrug him off.

"Oh come on Katniss. It's funny if you think about it. They are acting this way because you are well, you're so pure and innocent." He says. I turn around and look at him as if he's grown a second head.

"Innocent? Did I not kill to survive those games? How am I innocent?" I ask.

"Katniss, they see the little teenage girl who found out her district partner had a crush on her. They watched you give me your first kiss. You in their eyes are still pure." He explains and I get it. I step into his arms, hiding the blush that has completely taken over.

"But I'm not pure." I whisper in his ear and he goes rigid. I stepped away from him and he turned around and tried to hide his blush. I grinned, proud of myself. Effie and Haymitch didn't' see the exchange or if they did they pretended not to notice. The door opens to the penthouse and all four of us step out. I still don't have an appetite and skip dinner for a shower and end up with a blast of pink foam covering me from head to toe. The smell alone makes me sick and I promptly vomit on the shower floor. I finally find a button for just water and rinse the shower clean. I step out of and I'm dry in seconds. I climb into the bed and pull the blankets over my head and just try to forget the world right now. I hear the door open to my room and groan.

"Effie, I'm not hungry and I don't want to watch the recap." I say.

"Okay, but I don't have the parts to be Effie. Nor can I pull off the wigs." Peeta says and I smile. The bed shifts and he climbs in. I scoot next to him and let him pull me into his arms. He kisses my temple and I drift to sleep in his arms.

Effie squeal in the morning wakes me up and I don't want to get up. It's a training day and I'm not feeling it. I get up and notice Peeta has gotten up and has left me to sleep.

"What time is it?" I ask.

"It's nine. We've got to get you going. Peeta made me promise not to wake you up too early. He said you still aren't feeling well." She says. I get up and put on the tribute uniform and meet Peeta and Haymitch in the living room. We take hands and we go down to the training area. We decide to split up and get to know the other tributes and choose who want at allies. By the end of the day I want Mags Beetee and Wiress. Great, Haymitch is going to think I'm insane. Maybe I am but they are the only people besides Peeta I trust. When I meet back up with Peeta he has chosen Finnick and Johanna. I roll my eyes. I should have known. Peeta can find the good n even the evilest of people. Even when Cato was trying to kill him, Peeta still had the sympathy enough to ask me to kill him to end his suffering as the mutts ripped him apart.

The rest of the week goes on and we both are surprised to receive a 12 in our private sessions. Both of us pulled a stunt to just tick them off. Peeta painted Rue's private funeral on the floor while I hung a dummy depicting Seneca Crane. Because of this we are given the next day off of training. We enjoy a rooftop picnic and end the evening in each other's arms watching the celebrations in the capitol.

I am awakened by my prep team the next morning and they go to work with my hair and makeup. All three of them are trying their best not to drown me in their tears but it doesn't seem to work, because I catch each of them wiping away their tears to hide them from me. Cinna ushers them out before he has to rescue me with a lifejacket. He holds in his arms a white garment bag.

"My dress for the evening? What have you come up with to make me set the stage ablaze?" I ask. He shrugs.

"No fire tonight. President Snow ordered that you wear this." He says and unzips the bag. My eyes widen and my hands go to the fabric of the dress. It's the wedding dress. My wedding dress. It's the one that I instantly fell in love with. I pick up the lace sleeves and run them through my fingers.

"Oh!" I gasp and I pull the dress from the bag and hold it in my hands. It's heavier than I remember.

"I've done some altering. Let's put it on." He says and I slip the dress on. It's definitely heavier but I don't care. He comes behind me and tries to zip it but it is snug.

"We trained,Sorry. We wanted to be prepared." I say but he kisses my cheek and manages to get it zipped. He gives me one more hug and I go to the elevator and step in. Peeta is waiting in a magnificent tuxedo to match my gown. Now I'm dizzy. I feel as if the elevator is closing around me. My head is spinning and it's all I can do to keep standing. Peeta notices me falter and pulls me into his arms.

"It's okay. We're going to be okay." He whispers and I have to believe him. I need to pull myself together. I just wish whatever this stupid bug is would just leave me alone. I'm starving and I've not been able to even eat anything. I bet this illness would be all the rage in the capitol if they knew it kept your appetite at bay. I stand up and kiss him once and let him hold me for the length of the ride. It's our time.

"You look amazing." He whispers. I smile up at him.

"I can't believe they chose my dress." I reply, emphasizing my. This dress was the one from the moment I put it on. I can't help but run my hands over the lace again. It's just so we ride down I finally take in the entire dress. The sleeves are fitted to my arms just before my wrists then flare to flow around my hands. Cinna has place a simple pearl necklace around my neck showing off the neckline of the dress. The top is separated just below my breast by an ivory sash made of gathered chiffon. The lace detail on the dress begins heavy on the top and spreads out to the bottom. The entire dress is fitted to my torso and flares just slightly at my hips but just enough to make it move when I walk. I feel glorious in this dress. I look at Peeta and he is in awe of me. I can't help but blush under his gaze.

"They got it right. If they see half of what I see, you will have them eating out of the palm of your hand." He says and kisses me softly just as the elevator comes to a stop. We pull apart and join hands as the doors open. The other tributes are waiting for the interviews to stop and we pull all of the focus. Some people gasp at our appearance other scowl Only one voices their opinion.

"I can't believe Cinna put you in that thing. It's ridiculous." Says Johanna Mason. She walks by and gives us both a look of disdain.

"It's what the sponsors want." I politely say. Peeta and I take our spot at the end of the row and the interviews begin. Everyone of the tributes express their anger and disdain about the use of the beloved victors and some beg President Snow to stop the games but I know he won't. This is his chance to get rid of me for good. Finally it's my turn. I take my seat next to Caesar and we begin the interview. He asks about my family and how I feel about Peeta and I being back in the arena together.

"I hate it. Almost losing him last year nearly killed me. I don't want to lose him." I says honestly. This is not for the cameras. This is real. Caesar nods in agreement then begins to relish in my dress. I stand and I can see Cinna. He is circling his finger and I nod. I begin to twirl and the crowd goes insane. Suddenly my dress flames and I'm caught in smoke. I'm desperately trying to put myself out but the flames never touch my skin. I stop spinning and the smoke clears. The audience gasps and someone faints. I look at the dress and it's been transformed. I'm no longer the bride to be but a mockingjay. I don't know how he's done it but I'm breathtaking. I then shudder at what Cinna's design has done. He's put himself right at the front of a rebellion. I catch his gaze and plead with him. But his jaw is set in his beautiful smile and he nods. The buzzer indicating my time is over sounds and I step from the stage. Peeta and I pass on the stairs and our hands brush and it send chills to my spine. I take my seat and watch on the screen as Peeta once again charms the audience. This is the face that needs to be saved. He is a true leader. He has them eating out of his hand.

"I'm sorry you can't come to the wedding." Peeta says.

"Oh yes, that's very unfortunate."

"It is. Do you think these guys can keep a secret?" he asks. Curiosity peaks everyone in the room and they all lean forward in their seats.

"I'm sure they can." Caesar replies.

"We're already married." He whispers right into his microphone. The audience cheers and I turn beet red. I can't believe he told them. I push down the embarrassment and look straight up at the camera and smile brightly, nodding my head in confirmation.

"Well then congratulations, Peeta. It's too bad that you don't get to spend more time together as a married couple. But at least you got to have a few weeks of happiness."

"Yes I would like the think that." He begins then looks to me and then back to Caesar. What is he up to? "If it weren't for the baby." He says. I can't even pretend to hide my shock at this. My face is instantly covered in my dress and I vaguely hear the audience protest my being in the games this year. Peeta takes his seat next to me and he leans over asking if he should apologize. I shake my head and feel Chaff grab my hand next to me. I lift my head and see that all 24 tributes are joined by the hand, forming a chain of unity. People are screaming and cameramen are racing to get shots of the chain. As we hold hands I let Peeta's last statement fill my head. My eyes widen in realization. Why didn't I notice it? My mother is a healer and I watched her when she was carrying Prim. The nausea, fatigue, my need to cry at the drop of a hat are all there. My mind races as I try to remember when I actually had a period. I can't really think of a specific date. I guess I just thought it was my body trying to recover from the games. But I do remember. I had a period on the victors tour. We were in district one and my team had to change my dress selection for the night. That was the last one. Then I went to 12 and Peeta and I were married. My hands fly to my mouth and I know I'm going to be sick. I run from the stage and find the nearest trash can and promptly throw up. Peeta is not far behind me and I feel his hand rubbing my back.

"You're still sick? I'm going to find a doctor." He say but I catch his wrist. I can't stop the tears now that have begun to flow. I'm shaking and I don't know what to do.

"Peeta." I say and he just stares at me.

"I know I shouldn't have told them about the toasting. I'm sorry. I just wanted them to see that they didn't own us." He says in a ramble and I put my finger to his lips.

"Peeta, I'm pregnant." I say barely above a whisper. He shakes his head then stop, eyes widening in fear. I nod and my world fades to darkness.


	5. Chapter 5

_Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games. It belongs to the talented Suzanne characters and plot are used for the sole purpose of entertainment. No profit is made from this._

When I come to I'm back in my room and Peeta is sitting in the chair beside my bed. He's holding my hand and resting his head on them. I lift my other hand and run it through his hair. He shoots his head up and sighs in relief. He lifts my hand and kisses it softly.

"You scared me to death, Katniss." He said and I move over and pat the bed. He climbs in and pulls me into his arms.

"I'm sorry. I just couldn't get a grip around it. I was dizzy all day and I guess it just caught up to me. I also haven't been eating well." I tell him. He nods and his hand goes to my abdomen. I'm confused at first then it hits me. My hand flies to his and I look to him, eye widened in fear.

" I was terrified when you passed out. It wasn't like you to do that. The doctors on staff at the interviews took you to a room below and ran a bunch of test. They confirmed that you are pregnant. They seemed shocked when they read the results. Even though I had announced that you were during the interviews. I guess they thought I was lying. I mean I did but I didn't dream that it was true. They said you are dehydrated and aren't eating enough. That's why you passed out. The baby is taking everything you take in right now." He tells me, while his hand tracing patterns into the fabric of my shirt. It sounds like a foreign language. All I hear him saying is that I truly am having a baby. Something I never wanted. It's not because I don't want to be a mom, I don't think I have what it takes to be one, but it's that I don't want to bring a child into this awful world I live in; A world where at the age of 12 they will have to be put up in the reapings. I know my actions thus far have earned any child I have a place in those games with a huge target on their backs.

"Peeta." I whisper. He sits up and pulls me up with him.

"Everyone has tried to get you out of the arena. But President Snow has said that you have to go. It's the rules. No tribute is given an out, no matter the condition." He says, his voice faltering. Snow could if he wanted to, but I'm being punished. If I'm killed in the arena, it saves him from publically punishing me and having the uprising happen anyway. I look to Peeta and his eyes are full of sadness. He is beside himself. I knew that he was going to do everything in his power to make sure I would come home but now I know he will try harder because of the baby. My hands move away from my belly and I'm lost. I don't know what to do. I know I have to go into the games, but my previous plans are questionable. I know that I want Peeta to go home but I feel the obligation to at least give this baby a chance. I kick my legs over the side of the bed and stand up.

"We need to eat before we sleep tonight." I say and walk away. I can't look at him right now. I know what I have to do. Peeta has to go home. With my death so goes any though of rebellion. My family is safe with Peeta in District 12. I close my door before he even has a chance to say anything to me. I silently walk into the dining room and sit down at the far end, away from Effie and Haymitch. Both look up at me and both have a look of disappointment on their faces.

"What? Like I'm the only girl to get knocked up at 17! Just drop it." I yell.

"Katniss, how could you let this happen?" Effie says, embarrassed.

"Me? You think I did this to myself, on purpose?" I tell her. Just as I pick up my water, Peeta joins us.

"He's just as much to blame! Neither one of us were planning on my getting pregnant. It just happened. I don't want children! This ruins everything!" I yell, gripping my water and throwing it across the room. It shatters against the wall and the avox girl rushes in to clean it up.

"Leave it!" I yell, slamming my fists against. She looks up at me, terror in her eyes and nods. I don't mean to hurt her feelings, but right now the mess is the only thing I can really control right now. I've suddenly lost whatever appetite I've got and push my chair away. I walk past Peeta and he grabs my arm.

"Katniss, you need to eat. For the baby." He says and I yank away my arm.

"By next week there won't be a baby or me." I say coldly and stomp off to my room. I make sure the room locks behind me and I climb into the bed. I yank the pillow over my head and finally let it all out. I scream as loud as I can through the confines of the pillow. Tears fall freely from my eyes, making my cheeks a mess. I place my hands protectively over my stomach.

"I'm so sorry. Please forgive me. It's not your fault. Please know that. I know that you are small but you matter, you do. But I need to be sure your father…" I begin telling my baby but I falter as I mention Peeta. He deserves to be a father. This child deserves to be raised by him. But I know if this child survives, Peeta does not. I drum my fingers over the area where my baby would be. I can definitely feel a difference in the way my stomach feels. I stand up and walk to the mirror that takes up the back of my door. I lift the hem of my shirt, exposing my stomach. I can see it. It's barely there but I know it's there. I run my hand over the small swell of my stomach and cry once again. I want this baby. I turn around and slid down the wall, letting my exhaustion take over.

_As I close my eyes to sleep, I see my baby, a beautiful little girl with my dark hair and complexion and Peeta's soft pale eyes. She's the most beautiful baby I've ever seen. Prim was a beautiful baby but even she pales in comparison to the little girl I see in my arms. I'm lying in my bed at home in District 12. I'm covered in a thin layer of sweat and I'm breathing hard. Peeta stands next to the bed, playing with the braid that runs down my back. Prim and my mom both are scurrying around the room cleaning. I realize I've just given birth. I'm not watching from my point of view. It's like I'm watching through the eyes of a bystander. I watch as I run a finger across the infants face. The baby stares up at me, as if she's studying every feature. I do the same. I unwrap the soft blanket she's wrapped in and lay her in my lap. I count each finger and toe. I run my fingers over her soft skin, memorizing every wrinkle, dimple and freckle on her tiny body. She kicks her legs and moves her arms as she begins to wail. The bystander version of myself panics, but I watch as my dream self gently lifts the baby into her arms and places her at her breast. The baby's cries soften and the room is peaceful. The only sound is the sound of the little girl having her first meal. It's so natural. I feel like an outsider watching this intimate moment. Should I feel something more, watching as I take care of my baby. _

_Suddenly it's as if I'm pulled by some force and the scene moves further and further away from me. I'm back in the arena, back in that cave. Only this time I'm cradling a small child, while Peeta slowly dies before my eyes. The infant in my arms is silent, unmoving. I'm participating in this section of the dream. I feel the cool body pressing against my body. I'm desperately trying to keep her warm. I move my fingers over her cheek, coaxing her to wake up. Peeta shivers next to me, moaning in pain. I'm lost, hopeless as what to do. I know lighting a fire is a death sentence but what am I to do. My baby is freezing to death and Peeta is dying from blood poisoning. I pull my shirt off my body and wrap it tightly around the baby and then press her against my breast hoping to get her to eat. I shiver as her cold face touches my skin. I'm whispering to her, trying to coax her into opening up her mouth to take in the food, but she doesn't move. I bring her face to my ear and hear nothing but silence. She's gone. I'm screaming, begging her to wake up. Telling her and Peeta I'm sorry I've failed them. Peeta shakes his head and opens his arms to me. I lay down next to him, the baby cradled between us. Peeta asks me to sing and I sing the only song I know. Peeta's breathing slows and finally it's still, quiet. I'm too numb to even move. I know I should because the hovercraft will be here to take away Peeta's body. Then I bolt up, clutching the baby to my chest. They can't have her. They will find away to use her innocence against me in the games. I stand up, gathering my bow and sheath. I lean over, kiss Peeta on the forehead and whisper that I love him. I move to the caves entrance and look back once more at the father of my child and flee. I faintly hear the warning from a nearby mockingjay and watch as the hovercraft appears and reaches deep into the cave and pulls Peeta's body up with it. I'm running as fast as my body will allow. The cold air bites harshly at my bare skin but I dn't care. I'm angry. They've taken my Peeta and they've taken my baby, I will not let them take me. As I'm running I manage to tie what's left of my little girl to my chest and pull my bow out and load it. If anyone crosses my path they are dead. _

_Thresh is first. I ignore the plead in his eyes as I launch an arrow straight into his right temple. I don't even stop to make sure he's dead. The cannon fires and I know he's done. I know where I'll find Cato and Clove. I run straight for the Cornucopia. There they are, Clove throwing her knives into a tree about 50 yards from the tail of the golden horn, Cato sits on the ground sharpening his sword against a flattened rock. Anger builds in the pit of my stomach and rages through my veins. Movement from the left catches my eyes. It's Foxface, she's watching their every move. I can easily shoot her from where I am but I don't. Instead I pick up a small stone, and launch it at a tree near her head using the string of the bow. She doesn't have time to register what happens when Clove's knife catches her between the eyes. It's just me and them left. My first instinct is just to shoot them but I want them to see the face of their killer. I step out into the open field, bow drawn. Clove positions a knife ready to throw just as I catch her in the thigh. I want her to suffer, as I have. She falls to the ground, screaming for Cato to help. He rushes to her side and shoves his sword into her chest to end her pain. I grin as he looks up to find me. He look to the cornucopia and sees that he's left his beloved spear resting against it. He contemplates running for it but he knows he's dead. He opens his arms, telling me to just do it and I do. I shot not one but 4 arrows straight into his body. He falls to the ground and I'm announced the victor. I clutch the bow in my hand as the hovercraft appears. _

"NO!" I scream, bolting up from the floor. I'm covered in sweat and I'm nauseous. I pull myself up from the floor and go to the bathroom, bracing my weight on the sink. The wave of nausea takes over and I move to the toilet and empty my stomach. Since it's empty all that comes up is the yellow bile from my stomach. This just makes me heave more. I know I need to eat. I rinse my mouth and go to the room and order something to eat. I don't even know if they will serve at this hour but within seconds a bowl of broth and crackers is delivered along with a large cup of tea. I easily finish a bowl and order a second. The broth calms the rolling feeling in my stomach and the tea soothes the raw felling in the back of my throat. Once I finish, I lay on the bed, pulling the blanket over my head and sleep peacefully. Tomorrow I will fight to save Peeta and my baby.


	6. Chapter 6

_Disclaimer__: I do not own the Hunger Games Series. It is owned by Suzanne Collins. All characters and original concept belong to her. This is a form of entertainment and no profit is made._

A/N: As I said in the summary, this will be compliant with Catching Fire but written in my style. Some things I've changed to fit in my own plot and I will not include everything that happened in the book. Please remember that as you read this. Scenes from the book are depicting in this chapter but are written in my own words. Thank you and on with the story!

The next morning, I'm up and ready to go before Haymitch comes to get me. My hair is back in my usual braid and I'm sitting on my bed. I don't know how I'm going to do it, but I'm going to save my family; my baby and Peeta. They are my family. I don't speak a word as Haymitch and I ride to the hanger to take off to the arena. Once inside the hovercraft I take my spot and don't flinch as the tracker is placed into my arm. Once inside I take my seat and refuse to have any contact with Peeta or the other tributes. Cinna is seated next to me, his hand placed gently on my knee. As the windows black out, my heart races in anticipation. I don't want to kill any of these people, but I will to ensure my baby's safety. When land, I'm the first to get off the hovercraft and go to my launch room. I eat as much as my stomach will let me, knowing that the baby needs it, not because I want to.

"Slow down, Katniss, you're just going to make yourself sick." Cinna says, pulling my plate away from me.

"Why, I'm going to get sick anyway, might as well enjoy it while I can." I say, taking the plate back. He shakes his head and pulls out the package containing my arena outfit. He pulls it out and frowns. It's a one piece blue, sheer jumpsuit. Cinna's face is priceless. It's somewhere between a scowl and complete disgust. I nearly choke on my food.

"Well this isn't going to block out the cold." He says, running the material through his fingers. Across the middle of the suit is a large purple belt. I have no idea what that may be used for but it's hideous. I pull off the pants and t-shirt I'm wearing and pull the outfit over my underclothes. The material is thin so I'll move easily. The belt fits right over my stomach, hiding whatever bump I have. The voice over the intercom signals it's time for me to get in the cylinder. I step in and the clear doors close behind me. I turn around, Cinna's hands pressed against the plastic and two peacekeepers are positioned behind him. My eyes go wide in fear. I'm beating on the plastic, hoping it will break so I can get to him. One peacekeeper slams her stick hard against his head and Cinna falls to the ground between them and they begin to beat him. My fists hurt as I punch the plastic.

"No! Stop!" I scream and the metal plate is pushed up, leaving Cinna behind in a puddle of his own blood. As my head surfaces, my nose is filled with a scent I have only smelled once in my life. It's the smell of district four. Strong aromas of salt and fish surround my head. I can't see a thing yet. When my plate finally stops, I look around. To every side of me is water, tons of water. Each of us are placed around an island and in its center sits the cornucopia, gleaming in the sun. I'm trying to figure out how to get to the island and I realize we have to swim. How many of us can actually swim? Luckily my father taught me. I find Peeta and I don't know what to do. He doesn't swim. Why would he? The gong goes off and I jump in, swimming as fast as I can. I feel lighter than I've ever felt and move through the water like a knife in Prim's soft cheese. I'm used to swimming, but this distance wears me out quick. I don't know if it's just from the exhaustion of the baby or exertion. I swim harder, reaching the island. I spot a gold bow and sheath immediately and take it. Just as I put the quiver on my back I catch movement. My bow is loaded in seconds and ready to shoot but I hear someone behind me yelling to duck. I do as the voice says and see a trident whiz above my head and skewer the male from district 5. I stand and turn, facing Finnick Odair. He smiles at me and it's all I can do not to vomit. I load my bow and can't decide if I want to shoot him. He lifts his hands in surrender and I catch a glimmer of gold in the light. He's wearing a bangle just like Haymitch's. I groan. It seems Haymitch has chosen my allies for me. I drop the bow to my side, keeping it loaded.

"Good thing you saw this. I'd be a goner." He jokes. I roll my eyes and take in the rest of the tributes. Most of them are stranded on their metal plates, including Peeta. I drop my bow and run for the water's edge. Finnick grabs my arm and pulls me back.

"I'll go." He says. I still can't bring myself to trust him.

"I can." I tell him, pulling my arm back.

"Best not to over exert yourself, not in your condition." He says, placing his hand on my stomach. The baby. I then remember how I felt just swimming to the cornucopia. I nod. I hear clanking behind me and see Brutus has reached the island. I aim my bow and launch an arrow. He blocks it with his belt causing it to shoot purple liquid into his face. He drops to the ground and rolls into the water. The other careers are swimming fast to the island and I shoot toward Enobaria. She ducks before the arrow can get her. Finnick has reached Peeta and is pulling him back. I help him ashore and I kiss him.

"Looks like we have allies." He says.

"So we do. Who else has Haymitch gotten for us?" I ask.

"I think Mags." He says pointing to her. She is in the water, bobbing up and down, letting the waves pull her to the shore. I'm okay with that. I wanted her from the beginning. Peeta voices that and Finnick states I have good judgment. We finally grab all of the weapons we think we'll need, Finnick has pulled Mags to the shore and she is babbling about the belts. Finnick starts to laugh and we find Beetee flailing in the water but he's not going under.

"The belts are flotation devices." He says. Sure enough the belt is keeping Beetee's head above the water. I give Peeta a bow and a sheath of arrows and Mags begs me for the awll. I give it to her and she places it in her mouth and Finnick slings her over his back and we run. We head into what I think is called a jungle, with Finnick in the front. I've only heard of it, but I don't know where I've heard it. Peeta grasps my hand as we run. My jumpsuit has already dried but it's sticking to me with sweat. Finnick decides we all need a break and Mags hopes off his back and sits on the mossy ground. I sit down, my throat raw with thirst. I know the dehydration is not good for the baby. I hope we find water soon. I brush my hand over my belt, right where my bump is. Peeta laces his fingers with mine and he kisses my cheek.

"How are you feeling?" he asks.

"I'm okay. Just thirsty. Thank god I'm not puking. I don't know how much more of that I can take." I tell him honestly. He nods. Our break is over in minutes and we are on the move again. Peeta takes the lead, slashing at the vines that cross the path. I'm looking ahead, right behind him when I see the square indicating a force field. It floats about ten feet above our heads, but it's there. Peeta continues to slash at the vines and I don't get the chance to warn him. His knife slashes into it and he's thrown back. He hits the ground with a thud, eyes open. I toss my bow to the ground and fall to my knees next to him. I'm shaking him, but he's not moving. I place my ear to his chest and hear silence. I hear a blood curdling scream and realize the sound came from me. I clamp my hand over my mouth, and tears fall from my eyes. He's dead. I've failed. I barely feel the pair of arms behind me grab my arms and toss me backward. I hit a tree. My hands find my stomach and I'm rocking back and forth. Finnick is over Peeta's body, pressing his hands into his chest. He's going to break his ribs! I want my Peeta home in one piece! Finnick then squeezes Peeta's nose and kisses him. I look at it closesly and watch the fall and rise of Peeta's chest and realize he's breathing for him. Peeta's body jerks as he takes a breath on his own and coughs. I jump up, pushing Finnick away and throw myself over his body. I'm crying and I look a mess.

"What happened?" he mutters out.

"Force field, you hit it with your knife." Finnick explains.

"You died! Oh god, Peeta. Your heart stopped. I thought I was going to have to have this baby without you!" I tell him. He looks to Finnick and Mags then back to me. He pulls me on top of him, my head resting on his chest and runs his hand over my head.

"Shh, it's okay."

"It's the hormones, dude. She's a mess." Finnick says and shrugs. Maybe he's right. I've never cried like this before. My emotional state as of lately has been crazy. I sit up, wipe the tears and snot from my face and scowl at Finnick. I know I'm a mess but he doesn't need to point it out to everyone. They can see it. I pull Peeta in a sitting position and he tries to stand.

"He needs to rest." Finnick tells us.

"No I can go." He protests.

"Peeta, maybe you should listen to him. He just saved your life." I tell him. Peeta complies and sits back down. I look up at there again is the tales square of the force field. After a good twenty minutes we decide to go. I grab Peeta and point up toward the square I know only I can see.

"There's a force field just ten feet away." I tell them. Finnick looks to me like I've grown a second head.

"How do you know that?" he asks. I suddenly panic. I shouldn't know that.

"I can hear it." I lie.

"You can?" Peeta asks. I stand up and pretend to go up to listen to the field with my left ear.

"Can't you? It hums like the fence in 12." I say and turn around.

"Hm, can't hear it with this ear." I say building the lie. Peeta catches my bait and helps.

"You know, you have been able to hear the oddest things since they reconstructed that ear." He says, and I smirk. That's my boy.

"Well then by all means, you take the lead." Finnick says and Peeta falls in behind me as we walk. I hope that my lie works, or else I've just caused more trouble for me and my group. I walk ahead, tossing nuts at the field just to be sure. They sizzle to the ground in smoke as they come in contact with the field. This force field not only has been designed to keep us in whatever they have created for us, but it's designed to electrify anyone who comes in contact with it, ending their lives. I won't let it claim Peeta's again.

_Thank you all so much for your kinds reviews! I appreciate everyone of them! _


	7. Chapter 7

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own The Hunger Games series. It belongs to Suzanne Collins and her publishers. This is purely used for entertainment no profit is made._

A/N: Once again this chapter contains scenes from the second book written in my own words. It's used solely to move along the story. This fanfic will lightly follow Mockingjay once it gets going but only a few things. I loved the book but wished it would have went differently. 

The day seems to go on forever, the heat beating us to a dehydrated form of flesh. We need water and need it fast. I climb a tree, much to Peeta's objections and get a good look at the arena. It's a giant circle, like one of the bulls eyes in the training center. The cornucopia sits in the center on it's island, the sea surrounding it and the jungle enclosing both. As I look up I see s few of the chinks in the force field. To be sure of my suspicions I shoot an arrow into the empty air and it flashes, revealing a real sky and the arrow is shot back to the ground. We are trapped in a dome. I climb down and explain to the other what I saw.

"But no water?" Finnick asks, his voice dry and parched. I shake my head.

"No, but the foliage is so thick I couldn't see beyond the tops of the trees." I say.

"There has to be something between the field and the sea. Watching us all die of dehydration isn't any entertainment for the audience." Peeta says. I laugh because what he says true. Last year they set fire to a portion of the audience just to get me moving because I was just sitting in a tree and the audience was bored. We decide to head down hill and circle around in search for water. By noon, Peeta and Mags need to rest. We choose a campsite just ten yards from the force field in case of an attack. Finnick and Mags cut down huge blades of grass and weave mats out of them while Peeta gathers the nuts I was throwing at the force field. Mags had been eating everyone I tossed so we deemed them safe to eat. He tosses them against the force field and the outsides are burned to a crisp. He shells out the meats and place them on a leaf while I keep watch. I begin to get antsy just standing here.

"Finnick, I'm going to try to find water." I say and load up my bow. Peeta stands up.

"I'll come."

"No, I'm going to hunt too." He nods, knowing he'd just scare away any game. His hand brushes my cheek and he leans in to kiss me.

"I won't go far, promise." I tell him. He nods, placing his hand over my belt. I look down, covering his with my own hand.

"We're okay." I reassure him. I honestly don't know if we are or not. The dehydration I know isn't goo and I don't know if the collision with the tree has caused the baby any harm. I know that if this baby is anything like its parents it's a fighter. I hold on to that thought because I can't bear something happening to the baby and me making it out of here alive. It would just fuel the fire already building.

Peeta finally lets me go and I leave. I search and search but can't find any water. It has to be here somewhere. Otherwise the animals here would dehydrate as well. I find what looks to be a rat and shoot it down. He didn't even suspect it. I pick him up and notice his mouth is wet. I look again, but still nothing. I give up and head back to the campsite.

"Nothing!" I say, throwing the rat down at Peeta's feet. He picks it up unsure what to do with it. I sit next to him and clean the kill for us to eat.

"It's somewhere because he was drinking it." I says, pulling the fur from the rat. We all look at the rat, trying to figure out how to cook the thing. Fire is not an option. We could always eat it raw, but I doubt that's a good idea for the baby. I can't keep down bread let alone raw meat. It's all I can do not to puke all over it as I clean it.

"I have an idea." Peeta says and picks up a cube up the rat and puts it on a stick. He tosses it at the force field and it fries. The outside is burnt but the inside is juicy and tender. I am starving and take a large bite but the moment the grease hits my mouth I'm done for. I stand up and run to a nearby tree and throw up. Peeta is at my side in minutes. Now I really need something to wash this crap away.

"This is ridiculous! We need water!" I say. Within seconds a parachute appears and drops at my feet. Mags and Finnick come over to see if it's water and we all groan when a hollow piece of metal slide out of the parachute.

"Really?" I say handing the thing to Peeta. He looks at it and shrugs. Finnick and Mags do the same.

"Ah!" I scream, punching the tree. The tree! I grab Mags' awll and shove it into the tree, digging it in as far as it go. I snatch up the metal and shove it in. I twist and twist and water begins to drip from the tip. Mags dips her hand under the drip and tastes it moaning in relief. I shove it in a little more and a stream pours from it. Mags and Finnick quickly weave baskets and we fill them with water. Each of us drinks until we have our fill.

"It's a spile. Dad had one when I was little. That's why I remembered." I tell them as I rinse out my mouth. Dad used it to collect sap from the trees to trade as well as game in the Hob. I slowly sip the water, letting the warm liquid soothe my stomach.

"Thanks Haymitch!" I say. We all sit and enjoy the break and watch as the sky is filled with the images of the dead tributes, no not tributes, victors. 8 are dead; The man from 5, morphling male from 6, both from 8 and 9, the woman from 10 and Seeder from 11. I can't help but think of the three kids that clung to Cecelia from district 8. Tears spring to my eyes but I wipe them away before they can fall. I place my hand over my belly and sigh. Maybe the baby is better off not being born. They won't have to endure the pain of the reapings, won't have to be hungry. But the chances of me making it home are slim to none. The capitol has painted a huge target on mine and Peeta's backs. We are the ones to kill.

We decide it's best to sleep and I volunteer to take the first watch but Finnick won't allow it.

"You need your rest, Katniss." He says, glancing at my stomach. I nod and climb into the hut that Mags and Finnick have created with the weaved mats. I secure the spile to my waist and grip my bow in my hand. I curl up to Peeta, telling Finnick to wake me in a few hours, and fall asleep.

Finnick doesn't have to wake me because I'm jarred awake by the sound of a bell. I only recognize it from the Justice Building ringing of its bells on New Years. It goes on and on and finally stops. Twelve. I wait for an announcement but nothing happens. I coax Finnick into going to sleep and he finally does, at the mouth of the hut, trident gripped in his hands.

I take my place, bow loaded at my side, eyes ahead. Lightning strikes a tall tree and I watch the sky dance with the electricity; must be a water source for those without smart mentors. I look out into the vast jungle. It's creepy and dark. I wish I had my glasses from last year. It would make this watch easier. I don't know what could be lurking out there. Animals set on eating us or the other tributes. The lightning stops and I hear rain fall heavily in another part of the jungle. I wait for it to come but it never does. I listen so intently to the rain, imagining the days I used to run in the rain with Prim. I remember the day Peeta saved my life. The heavy rainstorm from last year, trapping Peeta and me in that cave, starving. A cannon pulls me from my daydreams. I don't have a clue as to who it could be. The rain suddenly stops like it did last year and fog begins to fill the section of the jungle we are in. I panic for a second but remember it's just the cool water hitting the hot ground. I watch it move across the ground like finger reaching out to grasp anything in its way. My skin crawls. Fog does not act this way. It's moving too fast and too machine like. An oder fills my nose and I'm nauseous again.

"Peeta, Finnick!" I scream. Both jump awake. The fog has begun to touch my skin, biting into my flesh. I scream for them to run. Finnick reacts quickly, slinging Mags on to his back. I grab Peeta's arm and throw him ahead of me. He's not fully awake.

"Run, Peeta! It's poison! Go!" I scream. I can tell the electrocution earlier has completely drained him no matter how much he claims he's okay. He trips and falls over everything, even more than usual with his leg. I grab his hand and tell him to follow my steps exactly. He tries but it's still too slow. Our jumpsuits are being burned away from our bodies like acid has been spilled on to them. My skin is raw and stinging. Finnick realizes we are struggling and stops. He's shouting at us, keeping us moving. Peeta's legs catches something and we both crash to the ground. The fog has gotten into our system and it's designed to attack our nerves. My legs and arms are twitching uncontrollably. I manage to cover my stomach, in hopes to protect the baby. Peeta's face is drooping and I'm freaking out.

"Oh god! Peeta!" I scream. I watch him lift into the air and Finnick has come for us and pulling Peeta along. I try to help as much as I can but my arms won't work the way I want them to. Fiinick struggles, trying to keep Peeta moving but Mags is slipping. I take Mags. She's not big but neither am I. I can't do it. I make it a few yards and I falter. I cling to vies, anything to keep me moving but my arms and legs have a mind of their own.

"I can't! I can't do it!" I yell in defeat. Mags jumps off my back and walks up to Finnick, kissing his cheek and dances, literally dances into the fog. Her body twitches and suddenly she's still. Finnick pulls me forward, ignoring what Mags has done. We have to get out. We reach the beach and we all collapse. I wait for the fog to take us like it did Mags, but it never does. It's like it's reached an invisible wall.

"It's over." I say but it comes out like a frogs mating call. I try again and Peeta and Finnick turn to see. The fog evaporates into the air and nothing but the searing wounds on our skin remains. I look up to the sky and hear Peeta mumble something. His hand points to a tree and perched on a limb is what I think is a monkey. It's glowing eyes watch us intently, but it doesn't move. We turn away from it and crawl to the sea. The warm water reaches my face and I jerk. The water causes pain so bad that I want to pass out but the feeling of relief is behind it. I gently place my hand in the water. It stings like hell but I see the poison from the fog leave my body, clouding the water. I remove the jumpsuit, which is destroyed, minus the belt, I forget about the pain and jump in. I tense at first but I'm in relief immediately. Peeta does the same and we lay for a few moments floating on our backs. Finnick still lies on the beach unable to move. I get out and try to get him to the water. Just the smallest amount makes him scream in agonizing pain. I bit my bottom lip and try to roll him in but I can't. Peeta finds a shell and cups water in it and pours it over Finnick's wounds. The poison leave his body the same way it went in, wisps of fog. He just stays still once the poison is out, moaning. We have to get him in. Peeta drags his feet and I shove. Finnick is unconscious. We put him in the water one inch at a time, getting the poison out of his body. We finally get him all the way in and I even feel better being in the water again. It's soothing. I regain the control of my arms and legs. We help Finnick rinse his mouth and eyes but he still can't speak.

"I'm going to get water." I say but Peeta shakes his head.

"I'll go make the hole. You stay with him." He says and kisses my temple. I let Finnick soak in the water and gather what's left of my jumpsuit. I pull my pin from it and attach it to my undershirt. The belt is completely intact. Since I can swim I don't bother putting the ugly thing on. I glance down at my belly. My undershirt is clinging to it and I can clearly make out the swell of my stomach. I gingerly run my fingers over the bump. Finnick looks up and me and he gasps. I look to him and see his face.

"Wow! I thought that Peeta made that up!" he says getting up and walking to me. He looks to my stomach.

"May I?" he asks. I move my own hand and he lays his on it. He stares in awe.

"You really are pregnant." He says in a whisper. "So the marriage, it's real too?" he asks. I nod, smiling for real, not for a camera.

"We got married the day they announced the Quarter Quell rules." I tell him. I hear Peeta behind me and turn around. He drops the awll and spile and walks over to me. Finnick moves out of his way and he drops to his knees. Both hands cover my stomach and he lifts the shirt revealing my skin. Thank god the acid didn't get to my stomach. He touches his lips to the left of my belly button and kisses it. He places kisses all over my stomach and I laugh because it tickles.

"You're beautiful, Katniss. You always have been but this, your body adjusting to the baby, it's mind blowing." He says and wraps his arms around my hips, resting his head on my stomach talking to the baby. I run my hands through his dampened hair and we have the moment to ourselves. Finnick taps me on my shoulder and points to the trees. I follow his hand and see that while we have focused on the moment , tons of monkeys have gathered in the trees. Peeta is lost in talking to the baby.

"Peeta." I sing his name.

"Hm?" he says, not looking up at me. Finnick has calmy and carefully handed me my bow and I load it.

"Peeta, can you help me with this?" I tell him.

"Katniss, you can load a bow. Why do you need my help?"

"I just do, I've found something and you need to move slow and not scare it."

"Scare it? Katniss the baby can't even hear us." He says, still not moving.

"I'm not talking about the baby. Just get up, slowly." I say. He gets up and looks to me and turns around slowly. His eyes look up for just a second and they are on us like vultures. The move at lightning speed. Mutts! Finnick manages to toss my sheath at me and I catch it, sling it and start taking them out. But the more I shoot the more they come. I reach back to grab an arrow and it's empty. Peeta is hacking at them with that damned knife, his arrows untouched.

"Give me your sheath!" H reaches back to grab it but a monkey jumps at him but in a flash the morphling female from 6 is in front of him taking the attack. Peeta manages to drop his arrows and stabs the knife into the monkey. It finally releases the girl and Peeta flings it across the beach and stands.

"Come and get me, you filthy mutts!" he screams at the monkeys but they don't. Their reign on the beach is over. The climb back into their trees and disperse.

"Check on her." I tell Peeta and he goes over and lifts her into his arms. He walks her to the water and lays her down. I can see from the amount of blood that she's done for. But I try, for Peeta's sake. I run to the jungle edge and find some moss. I bring it back and press it into her wound, but in seconds the moss is soaked. She's shaking from shock and I can't think of anything to do to calm her. Peeta talks to her. He talks about his paints and making the colors just right. She dips her hand in her own blood and paints on Peeta's face. He tells her it's beautiful and she's gone. I help him to his feet and we walk away as the hovercraft comes to take her away.

_Thank you for the amazing reviews! They make my day when I see a new one! _


	8. Chapter 8

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own The Hunger Games. It belongs to the talented Suzanne characters and plot are used for the sole purpose of entertainment. No profit is made from this._

A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews. They make my day. I'm so glad you guys don't get upset with my use of the scenes in the book. You guys are wonderful! 

It's not even been a full 24 hours in the arena and I'm ready for it to be done. This day alone has been an emotional train wreck. I glance at the wounds on my arms caused by the fog and see they've begun to scab over and itch like pox. Peeta and Finnick scratch relentlessly at them, hoping to make the irritation stop. I have to remind that that scratching will cause infection and we don't need anything else to make us weak. We already have an overly emotional pregnant 17 year girl on our hands. We decide that water is a need great than that of our itching bodies and cautiously head to the tree Peeta had started to tap We reach the tree and Peeta shoves the spile back into the hole he'd formed water gushes to the ground in a muddy puddle. I practically run to the water and stick my face under it. I drink my fill and run the water over my arms and face. The warm water soothes my skin but only for a few minutes. Peeta and Finnick both drink what they need and we each fill a few shells to take to the beach. I pull the spile from the tree and tie it to my waist. We head back to the beach and sit for a while. Peeta has already fallen asleep and I try to hide my yawn.

"Get some sleep." Finnick tells me. I shake my head.

"You had the first watch earlier. Let me take this one."

"No, I'd rather have the first." He says, holding back the tears I can see forming. I nod and curl into Peeta. I glance once more at Finnick and see the shaking in his shoulders. I feel the urge to get up and comfort him but I let him grieve.

The next morning I wake up with the sun baking my legs and feet. I groggily take in my surroundings. Finnick has weaved yet another mat of grass and has braced it over Peeta and me. I roll over, my muscles groan in protest. As I move Peeta pulls me closer to him, his hand sprawled against my abdomen. I smile and kiss the bridge of his nose. I turn toward the beach and see Finnick at the water's edge shelling a mess of crab. I gag as he pops a piece of the raw meat into his mouth. I get up and walk over to him.

"They are better if you eat them fresh." He says, offering a piece to me. I wrinkle my face and shake my head. My stomach rolls with hunger but there is no way I'm eating that. I spot a bunch of nuts hanging on a tree nearby and go to cut them down. This will have to do for now. I sit down next to Finnick and pick up a nuts. My nails disgust me. They are caked in blood. I look at my arms and they are raw.

"Scratching brings infection." Finnick says with that stupid smirk. I scowl at him and go to the water to wash my hands. I look at the skin on my arms and legs and sigh. They need cleaned or they will not heal. I can't decide if the pain for the saltwater is worth it. I firmly place my hands on my hips and look to the sky.

"Hey, a little help here would be nice, Haymitch. That is if you're not too drunk to walk." I say. Finnick laughs at how quickly the parachute appears. It lands flat in the palm of my hand.

"Thank you!" I say and walk back to Finnick. I open the tube and the smell of the substance inside finally triggers the vomit I've tried to keep at bay all morning. I drop the tube; I don't even have time to move before it comes up. I've officially ruined our breakfast and cover Finnick's left arm.

"Oh come on! Like I'm not suffering enough!" he screams and stomps off to wash it off. I pick up the mat Finnick has laid on sand and dump all of the food into the sea.

"I bet the audience is just loving this!" he mumbles as he washes. I bite my lip to not laugh at him. I turn around and walk back to cap, covering my face with my undershirt. I pick up the medicine and apply it. I look like I'm covering myself in mud but the feeling it brings makes me moan. It's wonderful. Finnick has returned and snatches the tube from hands.

"You look like rotting flesh." He says and is seriously considering not using it. The agony he's in wins and he's applying the stuff. I can't hold my laughter any longer.

"Oh poor wittle Finnick, never looked this bad before?" I ask, pouting my lip at him.

"Nope., it's very odd. How have you managed to get by for so long?" he snaps back.

"No mirrors in 12. It helps." I say with a shrug.

"Well looking at you isn't helping." He says.

We continue to lather down the rest of our bodies and I stand. It looks like I've gone to the hob and entered a mud wrestling contest.

"I'm going to get Peeta. You want to try to get some more breakfast?" I ask and he grabs my arm. He's smirking again.

"Let's do it together." I smile brightly and we walk to Peeta. We place our faces just inches from his and I kiss the tip of his nose, running a finger across his cheek.

"Peeta." I sing. He flutters his eyes open and jumps back.

"Ah!" he screams. Finnick and I roll with laughter and Peeta's attempt at a scowl makes us laugh harder. My stomach hurts from the laughter. I decide that Finnick is an okay guy. First impressions don't always count. As we get over our little prank, a parachute with two containers attached to it falls to our feet. Finnick picks it up and pulls a loaf of bread with green tint out of the first. It's from District 4. His face softens and he places it on the mat Peeta has pulled down from the braces. Finnick picks up the second and hands it to me.

"It's yours." He says. I take the parcel and my name is on it. I pull it open and find a bottle of ginger ale and a pack of saltine crackers. I look at it confused and find a slip of paper beneath the crackers.

_Enough with the puking. This will help. –H_

I laugh and screw the lid from the bottle and take a drink. My stomach calms almost immediately. Oh this is great. I nibble on the crackers as Finnick goes to fish. I offer each of them some of the ginger ale but both decline, saying I need it more. I shrug and continue eating. I look up at the sky and guess it's 10 am. 24 hours into the games and 11 are dead. 13 remain hidden throughout this torturous arena. I want to stay right here on our little patch of the beach and stay far far away from the jungle. That's when I hear the scream. I launch to my feet waiting for an attack. The ground rumbles and just across the sea a large wave comes rolling down a hill in a wedge of the jungle. It hits the sea so hard that the water comes up to our beach. I struggle to stay standing but clutch the ginger ale and crackers in my hand. The water is to my knees and sets the mats and food afloat. The three of us gather what we can and hold it against our chests as the water recedes. A cannon fire and we watch the hovercraft appear and pluck someone from the trees.

The water finally calms down and we set back up our camp when I catch movement to my right. Three figures emerge from the jungle.

"We've got company." I say and point to the trio. I grab my bow. The trio looks worse than we do. One is being dragged by the one and the other looks completely lost. They are covered in a thick red substance and looks like they've been baked in the sun.

"Who is it, or what? Muttations?" Peeta asks. I load my bow and drawback for an attack. The one being dragged seems too weak to go on and collapses to the wet sand. The one stable person in the group stomps like a two year old and sets off in a tantrum. The red being turns around and shoves the other to the ground and Finnick's face lights like a fire.

"Johanna!" he yells and runs for them.

"Finnick!" Johanna replies. I look to Peeta, confused and he shrugs.

"What do we do now?" I ask

"We can't leave Finnick." He says.

"Oh alright, fine. Come on." I say. I do not like Johanna Mason. At all! At least with Finnick I was able to get over his cockiness. Johanna snarky attitude and blatant disregard for others get under my skin. She is not on my list of allies. I follow Peeta to the group, bow still loaded. Did I mention I don't trust her? Because I don't. My confusion seeps further because with her are Beetee and Wiress. Johanna clearly stated her annoyance with the pair, naming them Nuts and Volts.

"I have to hear how this alliance happened." Peeta says. Johanna goes into a lengthy telling of how they thought eh lightning storm would bring rain and they followed till the heard it fall. The rain turned out to be blood which caused Blight, Johanna male counterpart from 7 to fall intoa force field and die. I apologize for her loss. She shrugs off my condolences saying he wasn't much but he was from home. See there, disregard for human beings! I grip my bow, trying really hard not to sink an arrow between her eyes. Peeta places his hand on mine and I relax. She explains that Beetee got stabbed in the bloodbath and Wiress has completely lost it.

"Tick, Tock." Wiress chimes in, proving Johanna's comment. Johanna shoves her back to the ground.

"Stay!"she says and I stand.

"Leave her be!" I snap. Johanna scowls at me and stand, slapping me hard.

"I didn't have to fish them out but I did. For you! You little…" Finnick cuts her off and throws her across his back and tosses her into the water to cool off. I really want to shoot her now. But what did she say? She got them for me? Why?

"Why did she get them for me?" I ask Peeta. He shrugs.

"You did want them at first."

"I know but we won't for long." I say and get to work mending Beetee's wound. I need to get to the water, but I can carry him. Peeta pulls him into his arms and carries him to our campsite. I lead Wiress with my hand in hers. I help her to sit on the ground and then stand straight, brushing my hair from my face and I hear Johanna cackle.

"So you really did go get yourself knocked up." She says. My fists ball at my side and run for it. I slam into her and punch her face. I underestimate her size because she flips me over and sits on top of me, holding my wrists by my head.

"Johanna! Get off! You're going to hurt the baby!" Peeta yells. She releases my hands and rolls off.

"Keep your little girlfriend in line." She says, wiping the blood from her nose. Peeta helps me to my feet and circles his arms around me.

"Let me go, Peeta. I'm going to kill her!" I say struggling in his arms.

"Oh did I tick off the emotional little girl?" Johanna teases. Peeta tightens his hold on me as I struggle to get free.

"Lay off, Johanna!" Finnick tells her. If I could just get my bow but it's trapped behind me.

"She started it!" she says.

"I don't care! She's pregnant and you are tired. Drop it, both of you!" he says. Johann looks to me, her eyes raised in an arrogant gaze. I relax in Peeta's arms.

"Fine but stay away from me." I say.

"Done." She says and goes back to the water.

I manage to get Beetee's wound under control , but it needs more care. It's oozing with infection and the moss is only helping to stop the bleeding. I help Wiress get clean but she's terrified. She sits silent except for her urgent calls of 'Tick,Tock.' I think she trying to tell me something but I can't figure it out. She just repeats it over and over again.

"Yes, tick, tock." Say and she calms down. What else can be thrown at me today? I just want to go home. I place my hands over my belly and sigh.

"Hey baby. I wish I knew what you were so I don't have to call you it. You are so much more than an it. I think you are a girl so that's what you'll be until I'm proven wrong. Listen, I know I'm not doing such a good job at this mommy stuff, right now. I'm sorry. But I'm trying. Please, please, be okay. If you could just help me out here, let me know you're okay, I'd appreciate it. " I say and lay back on the sand, my hands resting against my stomach and close my eyes. My eyes snap open and I sit up, staring at my hands. Just beneath my hand I can feel a small spot, harder than the rest. I smile, a genuine smile and yell for Peeta. He rushes over and my eyes are filled with tears.

"The baby's okay! It's okay. I can feel her!" I tell him.

"You can feel it?" he asks. I nod and wipe away my tears.

"I was laying here, trying to get in a moment by myself and it happened. It felt like the wings of a butterfly fluttering on the inside, right here." I tell him and place his hand where I felt the movement. He doesn't feel anything but I know I felt it. My baby is safe. She's a fighter.


	9. Chapter 9

_Disclaimer: I do not own Hunger Games. It belongs to Suzanne Collins and her publishers. This is entertainment only. No profit is made from the use of the characters and plot._

A/N: Again scenes from the book are in this chapter but some are flipped around and I've completely changed once. It flows better with my story. I hope you enjoy!

We don't move from the campsite. Beetee can't be moved yet and Wiress is far beyond being helped. Johanna and I take the watch together. I don't trust her to not kill each of us in our sleep. I sit with the arrows Finnick collect from the monkey attack and clean the blood from them.

"What happened to Mags?" Johanna ask, breaking the silence.

"The fog, I could carry her any longer due to the toxins and Finnick had Peeta. She kissed him goodbye and walked into the fog to her death." I tell her. I don't look up from my arrows but she keeps talking. I roll my eyes. I really don't want to talk to her.

"She mentored Finnick, you know." She said, with disdain. I hadn't known that. She rubs it in even more by telling me that he saw her as family.

"Why did you bring them?" I ask, nodding back to the campsite.

"I told you brainless. I brought them for you. Haymitch said to be your ally I had to bring them to you. You told him so." She says. I actually hadn't said that but I play along. What are you doing Haymitch?

"Yeah, thanks."

"Whatever." She says, her voice laced with loathing.

"Tick,tock." I hear to my left. I turn and see Wiress has woke up and sits on her hands and knees staring into the jungle.

"Oh great! I'm tired, deal with that will you?" She says and walks off to sleep next to Finnick. I pull Wiress to lie in front of me and I rub her arm. She wanders in and out of sleep, muttering the same two words over and over again. I repeat them back and tell her to go back to sleep. The sun is directly over us telling me its noon. I watch as the lightning from last night returns in the same place. Someone must have triggered an attack. I smile as I feel the fluttering inside me again and place my hand over it.

"Tick, tock." Wiress says. I look down and she's staring at the lightning, hand pointed to it. Last night the lightning came after the bells tolled. 12 times, like the justice building on New Years indicating midnight.

"Midnight!" I say and stand up to get a good look at the wheel. I point to each of the spokes leading from the cornucopia to the jungle around the water. Lightning, blood, fog, monkeys. The attacks happen in different part of the wheel, in their own wedge of a pie. I turn to spokes to the left to where the wave came from. That happened a couple of hours ago. Ten I think.

"Tick, tock." Wiress says again as the lightning ends and the sound of the rain begins. My eyes widen and I grab Wiress by the wrists.

"Tick, tock, tick tock!" I repeat back. It's a clock! The spokes on the wheel split the jungle into twelve equal wedges. One wedge for each hour, each hour a different horror. I can almost see the invisible hands of the clock ticking away, bringing the attacks on us. I run to the others and yell at them to wake up.

"Get up, we need to go!" I say, shaking Peeta awake. I explain the clock to them and they are convinced, except Johanna but she agree we need to move. Wiress has fallen back asleep and go to shake her awake. She wakes with panic.

"Tick tock!"

"Yes, yes tick tock. You figured it out! It's a clock!" I tell her. She smiles at me in relief. I take her by the hand and lead her to the rest of the group. She points to the lightning.

"Midnight."

"It starts at midnight." I say then stop. I've heard that before. Plutarch Heavensbee said it to me as he showed me his watch. His watch lit up with a brief image of a mockingjay. Was he giving me some sort of clue? But why? At that time I was a possible mentor not a tribute. I shake my head and I go back to the rest of the group. Peeta is trying to get Beetee up and moving but he refuses saying something about wire. Johanna scoffs and rolls her eyes.

"Here." She says and picks up the cylinder Beetee had come with. "This is how he got that cut. He wrestled it from the cornucopia. It's useless. Unless he garrots someone but I hardly see that happening." She says and Peeta takes it.

"He won his games with wire. It's his best weapon." Peeta says and hands it to Beetee. I look at Johanna and her ignorance of the wire makes my distrust of her deepen.

"I figured you knew that, since you did nickname him Volts." I tell her. Her eyes narrow at me.

"Well that's stupid of me. I guess I was too preoccupied about getting them here alive that it slipped my mind." She says, taking a step toward me. "While you were doing what exactly? Oh right, getting Mags killed." She says. I grip the knife at my belt and her eyes flicker to it.

"Dare you. Pregnant or not, I'll tear out that pretty little neck out." I release my knife. I can't kill her yet, but it's just a matter of time.

We decide to head back to the Cornucopia to get a better grip on the idea of the clock. It's the safest place to avoid the attacks in the jungle and surrounding beach. I'm thankful I'm not alone. Last year that's what drove me crazy the most. I had to do everything alone but this year the load is somewhat lifted. But I know that this little group has to die for my family to survive. I'm hoping that if it comes down to just me and Peeta they will realize they can't kill a pregnant girl just for the games and we both come out alive. But I know if it comes to just the two of us, Peeta will commit suicide to save me and the baby. I can't let that happen. I look at our mismatched alliance and think. Beetee and Wiress will find some way to get killed on their own, Johanna I don't mind taking down, but Finnick, I can't kill him. Not with what we've been through. He saved Peeta; I owe him my own life. I know it's cold but what I hope for is a run in with the Careers. I shake the thought; I'll worry about that when the time comes. I just need to get Peeta alone and talk.

We cautiously walk on the narrow strip of sand to the cornucopia, weapons drawn. For all we know, we are walking straight into a bloodbath. I am anxious to see what's been left of the weapons. We can't sell ourselves short on defense due to having a woman whose went off the deep end and a wounded old man. As we reach the horn, Johanna's eyes practically light up. She's almost as giddy as Prim was when I brought home Lady. She picks up a fairly good sized axe and I find it odd that's what she chooses. That is until she deftly throws it and it sticks in to the cornucopia. Oh right, she's from 7. She's probably been throwing around axes since she learned to stand on her own two feet. I see this as another reason why District 12 tributes always die first. We don't train for anything except going into the mines and then it's not until we're eighteen. I can't think about that anymore. I hear Peeta tell Wiress to clean Beetee wire for him and she gladly accepts and goes about doing so as she sings a song about a clock. Peeta laughs, shaking his head at the mad woman.

"She's smart to have figured it out." He says.

"No she's intuitive. Like one of your mine canary." Beetee says.

"A what?"

"A canary. It's a bird they take into the mine to signal bad air." I tell him.

"Does it die?"

"Stops singing first but if it's too bad yes it dies and so do you." I tell him. I think about how easy Snow could just kill Gale. A tiny slip up in the mine and he's blown to bits. I go back to going through the weapons and see that Peeta has crouched over something he's drawn in the sand. I go to him and see he's drawn a diagram of the arena.

"The tail points to 12." We say together and then I help him add in the gamemaker attacks in the appropriate sections. As we do this I notice that our little song bird has stopped singing. I quickly load my bow and look up to find Gloss behind Wiress, her throat slit. I sink an arrow into his temple and quickly reload as I do Johanna sinks her ax into Cashmere's chest and Finnick is stabbed my Enobaria as he tries to deflect a spear from Brutus. I run after the two remaining careers who are sprinting away when the ground rumbles and all I see is a blur of green jungle. I grip at the sand, desperately trying to hold on. The momentum of the spin makes me vomit again, but I have no idea where it has gone. I just wish this would stop already. When it finally stops and I gain my balance I pull myself to my feet. Thankfully most of my group has stayed on the island but Beetee is in the water keeping afloat with his belt. Finnick gets him and I remember that freaking wire. It means a lot to him and who am I to take it away. I spot Wiress' body and grudgingly swim out for it. I have only a few seconds because I see the hovercraft coming for her. I pry the cylinder from her hand, probably breaking a few bones in the process and swim with all I have to get away before she's scooped up into the sky.

"Let's get out of here." Johanna says and I couldn't agree more. We try to get our bearing but with the spinning we have no idea where we are. So we pick a path and hope for the best. Beetee sits on the ground, running the thin almost hair like wire in his hand. Peeta volunteers to tap a tree but Finnick insits he go and I go as back up. Peeta wants to go but Johanna makes him stay to draw another diagram. Great they are separating us to kill us. I grip my bow tightly in my hands, loaded and ready to take him down if he so much as breathes the wrong way.

We walk into the jungle and Finnick find a tree and goes about hacking away at it with my knife before placing the spile. That's when I hear it. I think I'm hearing things but I stand frozen in horror. Suddenly I run, screaming. I'm running as fast as I can to the sound that's beckoning for my help.

"Mommy! Mommy!" I hear. But where is she? I know it's her but I don't know how. The cries get louder and louder as I run. I stop looking on the ground, anything to indicate the sound of my child screaming for me. I look up and see a black bird perched on a branch and know what's happening. A jabberjay. It's beak is open, the sounds of the child coming from it.

"Katniss!" I hear Finnick say and I drop to my knees, hands folded over my belly, protecting my baby.

"Are you okay?" he asks. I shake my head no, tears falling down my cheeks.

"It was the baby. I heard her screaming for me but I couldn't reach her." I sob.

"Katniss, your baby is right here." He says, placing his hand over mine.

"He can't take her. She's safe." He says. I can only think, for now. The moment is over as he goes rigid and runs off after another sound fills the jungle.

"Annie!" he screams. I stand up, running after him.

"It's not real! It's not real!" I scream and catch him.

"Lets get out of here!" he says, and we run for the beach. As we run Prims screams fill my ears. I know it's not her but it takes Finnick's grip on my arm to keep me from running to it. We see our group standing at the edge not moving and we find out very quickly why they didn't help. We run right into an invisible wall, thankfully my shoulder took most of it but Finnick's nose is gushing. We are trapped until it over. Hundreds of birds flocks to the trees, each group chorusing the tortured screams of our loved ones. I fall to the ground, pulling my legs to my chest and cover my ears. I only know it's over when I fell Peeta's arms around me.

"They had her Peeta. They had the baby. I don't know how but they had her!" I tell him. He kisses my lips and places his hand on my stomach.

"They don't have her. You can feel her, Katniss. Relax and feel her." He says. I calm in his arms and sure enough I feel my little butterfly. I close my eyes, breathing deeply as I let the little flutters behind my hand calm me. Right now this is all I need.


	10. Chapter 10

_Disclaimer: __ I do not own the Hunger Games. It belongs to Suzanne Collins and her publishers. _

A/N: We needed a break from the death and fighting so here's a little chapter to makes us all smile a little. It did me at least. And thank you all so so much for the reviews and support. It means so much!

Exhaustion has set in but I can't sleep. I'm afraid that I'll fall asleep and I'll hear the screams again. Peeta and I decide to take watch as the other sleep. Johanna falls asleep instantly. I don't know how she's functioning. Peeta has gone to get something from the hut Finnick has once again built, leaving me to watch the water. I get lost in the soothing sound of the waves splashing against the sand and the way the moon casts a silvery mist over the dark water. It's beautiful, like nothing I've ever seen. I want my baby to be able to see beauty like this. I don't want her growing up in a world where she has to see the hunger in children. I know that if I make it out that she won't have to starve as I did. I'm a victor and she will have food. My biggest fear is if I survive and I have this baby, she'll be taken from me to weaken me.

"Share your thoughts." Peeta asks, making me jump. I look up at him and smile. He sits next to me, our hips touching. I throw my legs into his lap and his arms wrap around me.

"What are you think about?" he asks. I shake my head and look up into his eyes. I can't tell him what I fear, because it would just throw my suspicion of rebellion back into play. My eyes catch a glimmer of gold around his neck and run my finger over it.

"What's this?" I ask. He smiles and pulls it out. It's a gold oval with my mockingjay engraved on it. He lifts it off and places t around my neck.

"It's my token. I was prepared to use this to guilt you into letting me go." He says, pressing a clasp. It opens and inside are pictures of my sister and mother and one of Gale. Why did he use Gale? Does he not believe that I truly love him and only him? I married him, I'm carrying his baby. My thought swirl in my head and I look at him dumbfounded. He must know what I'm thinking and he takes my wrist.

"He's your best friend, Katniss. He will protect you and I know that you love me but I know you won't survive without him. He knows everything about you. You helped each other survive." He explains. A single tear falls from my eye and Peeta catches it with the pad of his thumb and kisses me softly. I bring my hand up to the back of his neck and deepen the kiss. I've not been able to do this since the toasting. We trained then were ushered off to the capitol. We've had a few kisses here and there but nothing like I needed. My body is aches with the need for him to touch me. I pull away and rest my head against his.

"I love you." I whisper. He smiles and his eyes shine in the moonlight.

"I love you, too." He says. His fingers move to the band holding the end of my braid. He tugs it releases my braid. My dark locks fall around my shoulders.

"I like it down." He whispers. I've never really worn my hair down. It's always in the way. I smile and kiss him, his fingers knot in my hair and I lose control.

"No I see why." I say my voice deep and laced with desire.

"Make love to me, Peeta." I tell him.

"Here?" he asks.

"Yes. We're married and having a baby. It's not like they don't know we've had sex, Peeta. " I tell him. H chuckles and I kiss him, pushing him to the ground. I am careful for his leg and straddle his hips. I move my hips against his. I instantly feel him go hard under me. I smirk.

"Katniss." He growls. I know I've got him now. He sits up, his arms circling around my waist so I don't fall over and he flips us over. He adjusts his weight to not be fully on my stomach. He's being careful of the baby.

"Peeta, the baby is in a squishy bed. You can't hurt it." I tell him. I know the position hurts his leg, but he's hesitant. I sit up on my elbows and look at him.

"Peeta, I promise. It's okay." I tell him and pull him down on me and kiss him. He moves against me and I become unhinged. My hips rise to meet him. He moves his hands to my breast and I jump as the gentle massage actually hurts.

"Stop!" I tell him. He jerks back.

"I'm sorry! I knew I'd hurt you!" he says, starting to move away. I lock my arms around his neck, keeping him in place.

"I'm fine. I didn't realize they were sore. Just avoid them and we'll be okay." I tell him. He looks at me, his eyes filled with desire and need but beneath that is fear. I kiss his lips and take his hand and guide it to where I really need his attention. His lips form a wicked smile and he slips his hand beneath my panties I lift my hips and gasp as he dips his fingers into my folds.

"Katniss." He whispers into my ear before taking the lobe into my mouth. I bite my lip as I push my hips into his hand, begging him to go further. He delves his fingers into me and I nig my nails into his back to keep from screaming. Suddenly his fingers stop and my eyes fly open in disappointment.

"Peeta!" I scold him but he presses his finger to my lips, quieting me. He kisses my lips them my chin then leaves a trail of kisses behind as he moves toward my legs. He's lays on the sand between my legs, his face at my center. I can feel the heat of his breath against me through the material of my panties. He leans in and kisses the moisture that has gathered there from my arousal. I don't have time to even register what he's doing before he hooks his fingers into my panties and pulls them down my legs. He lays them on the sand next to us and hooks his arms under my thighs. I nearly scream as his tongue slide along my folds. Oh my god, what is he doing to me. He unhooks and arm and dips two of his fingers into me as he sucks on my clit. My hips buck against his lips and hands tangle in his blond hair. He tilts his fingers back and hits that spot and I hear the guttural moan come from my lips and I know I'm close.

"Peeta, please." I beg, tugging his head back to kiss me. I taste myself on his lips and I don't mind. I move my hands to his boxers and push them down his hips. He tops me and pulls them over his legs. He rests his hands by my head and I guide him to me. I prepare myself for the pain I know is coming. We've only done this once and it was almost 3 months ago. He slowly pushes in and I wrap my legs around him pushing him deeper into me. I groan as we meet. The pain is over quick and he finds a steady rhythm. Sweat drips from his brow as he pumps faster into me. I claw at the flesh of his back, filling the fire build. I'm not going to last much longer but I need to hold out. I grip his shoulders and maneuver us so I can flip us. I succeed and place my hands flat against his chest. My hair falls to one side, causing a dark curtain to frame my face. Peeta's hands find my hips and firmly hold me in place as I rock against him. I don't bother keeping quiet any longer. I throw my head back and I swear I growl his name.

"Oh god, Katniss, don't stop." He begs. I lean over, kissing him and he tugs my hair to make me look at him.

"Don't close your eyes." He says. I stare into his eyes, grey meeting blue and I feel the orgasm begin to surface. I move faster and faster, my breast protesting as they bounce with my thrusts. Peeta's fingers dig roughly into my hips as he comes, and I'm sent over the edge. Fireworks spark behind my eyes and I scream. I don't hold back. I want the world to know. I finally collapse on top of him, my breathing labored and covered in sweat. I roll over, breaking our bond and lay my head on his chest. I look up at him and he has the biggest smile I've ever seen him have.

"What?" I ask, blushing.

"Where in the world did you learn to do that?" he asks. I honestly have no idea.

"I don't know. Something just took over. I just needed to." I tell him. I hear him chuckle and I smack his chest.

"It's not funny, Peeta!" I tell him and stand up. I grab my panties and go to throw them on, but they are wet. I stomp off to the water and jump in. I rinse out my underwear and don't notice until my face is wet that I'm crying. Stupid hormones. I hear the water splash behind me and I panic. I'm vulnerable and not armed. I turn quickly fists raised and see Peeta trying his best to stay afloat.

"Peeta are you stupid? You can't swim!" I tell him and swim to him. I yank his head above the water and swim us back to the sand. I slip my panties back on and move away from Peeta. I fling myself onto the ground, pulling my knees to my chest and let the tears just come. Peeta's arms wrap around me and I wipe away the tears with the back of my hand.

"What's wrong?" he asks.

"I did that for you, Peeta and you laughed at me! I didn't know what I was doing, but I tried. You laughed! You hated it!"

"You think I was laughing because I hated it?" he says and I nod. I feel like a child at my mother's skirt crying cause a boy pulled my hair.

"Oh Katniss." He says and pulls me to face him. "I wasn't laughing at you. And I definitely did not hate it. I was just taken by surprise. You are so natural and so pure that I never would have expected something like that. It was beyond good, Katniss. It was incredible." I look up at him and he wipes away my tears.

"Really?" I ask. He nods and takes my chin and kisses me softly. He helps me up and we walk back to the camp. Johanna is awake and glaring at us.

"Really? I don't sleep well as it is now I have to burn my eyes out because I saw and heard that! You're lucky that you didn't trigger a career attack with that scream. Go to sleep. I'm taking watch." She says. I laugh and Peeta pulls me to the hut. He helps me lay down and curls in next to me.

"What triggered the tears? You're not a crier." He says. I take his hand and place it on my stomach.

"Our baby thinks I need to be softened." I say. He sits up and leans over my belly. He kisses the soft skin exposed beneath my shirt.

"Hey there. So listen we need to make a deal. You need to lay low for a bit. Mommy needs to be a tough warrior mom with not and not cry. Can you do that for me?" he says. I laugh, shaking my head.

"One the baby can't hear you, it's too small. Two she doesn't cause me to cry. It's the hormones. I'm crazy." I say.

"You aren't crazy. You're pregnant. Now go to sleep, mommy." He tells me. I roll my eyes and do just that.


	11. Chapter 11

_Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games. Suzanne Collin and her publishers do. _

A/n: Thank you guys so much! I love the support from each one of you! It means so much to me! So here's the next chapter. Hope you enjoy! 

_I'm sitting in the meadow of District 12. The flowers are in full bloom. I'm close to the fence but I have no desire to even go under it. The warm breeze blows my hair into my face, I'm wearing it down. I smile, running my hand through my hair. I like the feeling of the silky strands between my fingers. I lie back on the green grass and stair up at the sky. I close my eyes and lose myself in the beauty of it all. I can feel the presence of someone near me but I don't feel alarmed. I feel the gentle touch of small fingers touch my cheek and I smile. _

"_Mommy." A tiny voice whispers. I don't open my eyes just yet. I hear the smallest grunt and a flop to the ground next to me. I chuckle but quietly as not to alarm my intruder. I open on eye, the eye closest to the little girl sitting next to me. She has her knees pulled to her chest and her chin resting on them as her little face crumples up in thought. Her dark curls fall just below her shoulders and is braided down her back. Suddenly her eyes widen and I hear her squeal in delight. I quickly shut my eye so she doesn't suspect I've been watching her. I hear the grass rustles as she moves. Then she starts to sing to me. _

"_Deep in the meadow, under the willow" her tiny voice sings out in a clear beautiful sound. Her hands pull through my hair and I can't help but open my eyes. _

"_What are you doing, Dahlia?" I ask her. She smiles brightly._

"_I'm singing you awake, mommy!" she says._

"_That's sweet, but that's a lullabye, To make you go to sleep." _

"_Nuh uh! It's an awake song. Cause when you sings it to me I want to stay awake and listen all night long." She says, proudly. This is definitely my daughter. She stars down at me and I see her father's eyes look into mine. She's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I sit up and pull her into my lap but she is careful to sit in. I glance down and see the cause as to why she's cautious. _

"_Daddy says I has to be careful when I sit in your lap cause of my brother." She says and places a tiny hand on my bulging stomach. _

"Katniss!" someone yells and I'm shook until I open my eyes. I'm awake too quickly and I grab my knife and barely register that it's Peeta. He lifts his hands in surrender and I drop the knife.

"I'm sorry! But we need to move." He says, picking up the knife and slipping it into his belt.

"It's okay. I was just having a really good dream." I tell him. He smiles and kisses me.

"What about?" he asks. I take his hand and place it on my stomach.

"Her." I tell him. He grins and I look out to the beach. Everyone is gathered and watching as a parachute falls to the ground. Peeta pulls me to my feet and we join the rest of the group. We've received more bread, identical to what we were given the night before. I'm grateful for it because I'm ravenous. I quickly eat my share and want more. I stare at the 8 remaining rolls and my mouth waters but I don't ask for more. We need to ration the food as much as we can. 8 rolls will divide perfectly after the next person dies. No one says a word but I know we're all thinking it. I realize that in order for either of us to make it out alive we need to get out of this alliance. It's only a matter of time until I get Johanna's axe to my skull. We gather our weapons and head to a safer part of the beach to avoid a gamemaker attack. Once settled I pull Peeta to the water.

"Come on, I'm going to teach you to swim." I tell him. He doesn't argue. He gets into the water and I join him. I don't bother taking of his belt to teach him since I'm not actually going to teach him anything. But I show him a few tricks because I see Joahanna watching us. She quickly loses interest and goes to nap. The others are too busy with other things to notice us. I look down at my itching arms and notice they are peeling. I pick up a handful of sand and rub it over my skin the scabs practically fall off. I show Peeta what I've discovered and help him to rid his own body of the hideous wounds.

"Listen, we need to make a break for it. It's down to 8 and we have a better chance on our own." I tell him. He nods.

"Let's stay until the last two careers are gone. I think Beetee is coming up with a trap for them or something." He says. I groan but he's right. If we leave now we have two sets of people after us.

"Fine." I tell him and then yell to the beach.

"Hey Finnick, I know how to make you pretty!" I say. H practically runs to the water and I show him how to get the scabs off. The three of us scrub ourselves until we are tinged red but we have baby smooth skin. We go back to the camp and Beetee fills us in on his plan. Finnick wakes Johanna before she can have a fit about missing something.

"Okay, we are on the beach, which I think is the safest place to be in this arena." Beetee begins. He tells us that Brutus and Enobaria aren't here because we are. Makes sense I guess. They are probably just on the edge of the jungles waiting for the prime opportunity to attack us. I apparently say this out loud.

"Exactly, Katniss." Beetee says. I look up, confused.

"Huh?"

" You are right. They'd be hiding along the edge of the jungle." He says.

"Oh."

"So here's the plan. We plan a 12 o'clock strike at the lightning tree." He says. He fills us in on how he plans to draw the electricity from the tree down to the beach and into the water using the wire, electrocuting anything in it's way.

"How do you know it will work?" Johanna asks.

"I invented it. But the current must pass through it. It won't create it on its own. We'll be far enough into the jungle when it strikes to be safe. But we will eliminate the seafood as a food source. But Katniss has found other edible things in the jungle, right?" he says.

"Yes. We also have sponsors." I remind them

"Good. But we must work as a team so it's up to you four." He says .

"I don't see why not. If it works, they're dead if not, no harm done." I say with a shrug. Peeta laces his fingers with mine.

"I agree." He says. Finnick looks to Johanna, of course he won't' go if she doesn't.

"Fine. It's better than actually finding them." She says.

We leave the camp to inspect the tree and my need for food begins to weaken me. I stop us and look at them.

"I'm sorry. I need to eat." I'm embarrassed. I'm so used to being hungry but this is something more.

"Don't apologize, Katniss. You are pregnant, you need to eat." Peeta says. I still don't like it.

I go hunt for a nice dinner while the others inspect the tree. The tree rats aren't alarmed by me and I easily take down three of them. I gather a few bunches of nuts and avoid the berries I see hanging from a tree nearby, although my mouth waters at the sight of them. I could really use something sweet. I go back to the others just as Beetee digs a knife into the tree. It flashes blue and he backs away.

"Just as I thought." He says. I look to Peeta and he just shrugs. I hand the rats to Finnick to clean because the last time it made me sick. I sit down and shell a nut and pop it into my mouth. It does nothing but tease my hunger but I know that it's just not me that craves the food. I hand the spile off to Johanna and she taps a tree while Peeta tosses the nuts at the force field. Finnick finishes cleaning the rats and cubes them. He stakes each of them on a stick and fries them on the field. The smell hits me instantly and I'm lunging at the meat. I sink my teeth into a piece, the juices running down my chin and I actually moan.

"Katniss?" Peeta asks, looking at me. I look up at him and I turn beat red.

"I'm sorry! I can't help it." I tell him.

"Dude, it's the kid. I've seen worse, trust me." Finnick tell him, slapping him across the back. He just laughs and we sit in silence for the rest of the meal. Night begins to fall and we head back to the beach for the evening.

Once there, Finnick dives for oysters and fishes before we fry the food source. We sit around the waters edge, Beetee playing with the wire and shell the oysters. A parachute falls to the ground with another 24 rolls from Beetee's district. With the remaining eight we have 32 rolls. We take 5 leaving seven, enough for only one.

"Hey look!" Peeta says and pulls out a perfect pear from an oysterl, no bigger than a pea from the shell. He takes my hand and places it in my palm.

"For you." He says and closes my fingers around it and turns my hand over to kiss it. The pearl is smooth and cool against my skin. I kiss him softly before eating an oyster. Even though wou've not done anything today, I'm exhausted. I excuse myself and go to the hut to sleep.

The next morning I'm shaken awake. Everyone is ready to move. Apparently it's after noon.

"Why didn't anyone wake for me a watch?" I ask.

"You needed to rest. We took care of it." Peeta tells me. I don't know why but this makes me angry.

"I'm not helpless, Peeta! God! You all treat me like a piece of glass that's ready to shatter! I'm still me!" I tell them. I grab my bow and sheath and sling them over my shoulder and stomp off toward the lightning tree. No one follows me. I turn around.

"Are you guys coming or not?" I say. They all mumble something but they follow. Once we reach the tree, Beetee carefull lays out the wire around the base of the trunk and down to the ground. This takes most of the day and the moon has come out to haunt us.

"Katniss, Johanna, run the wire down to the beach and drop it into the water." Beetee says, handing the cylinder to Johanna.

"Why don't I go with her instead?" Peeta says.

"No, we run faster and we don't have time." I tell him. I'm still angry at him but I'll get over it.

Johanna takes the first lead with the wire. We run but carefully so she can un-coil the wire. I stay ahead of her, bow loaded, ready for attack. After a few hundred feet I take a turn at the wire. It's harder than it looks. We reach the beach and suddenly the line slags and coils at my feet. Something's not right. I don't have time to register before Johanna takes the cylinder from my hands and hits me over the head. I fall to the ground, stars flutter before my eyes. I can't see anything but I feel the sharp blade of my knife cut into my forearm. I knew she was just trying to get me alone to finish me off. I sit up but she pushes me back down to the ground.

"Stay down, will you!" she says and I hear footsteps.

"Come on. She's good as dead!" Johanna says. I open my eyes and see Brutus and Enobaria follow her from the beach. She's been with them all along. I press my hand to my head but feel no blood, just a giant knot. The blood however gushes from the cut in my arm. I sit up, woozy from the blood loss but find my bearings. I somehow manage to stand up and run. I have to get to Peeta and the others. I lift my arm to check my wound and I'm splatter in the face with my own blood. I find some moss and wrap it around my arm but it's already soaked. I don't have time to find more. I run as fast as I can, the jungle tilting like a boat on the sea. I panic as I hear footsteps come down the slope from the tree. I duck behind a bunch of vines and see Finnick rush by me.

"Johanna! Katniss!" yells. I don't move until I see him head for the direction Johanna led the careers. I move out, trying to run again, my head throbs with every step. The moss is completely soaked and I can feel my blood pool in my hand and fall to the ground. The boom of a cannon makes me halt.

"Peeta!" I scream. It can't be him! I can't lose him! I run faster but fall to the ground, tangled in something. It's a net! It must be one of Finnick's net to trap me and he's waiting with that trident. I grip the thin web, trying to free myself and I catch a look of it shimmering I the moonlight. It's not a net after all but Beetee's wire. I stand up and it falls to my feet in curls. I follow it to the base of the trunk of the lightning tree, careful not to touch it. It's close to midnight and when the tree is struck the wire become deadly.

"Peeta?" I whisper but nothing responds. I whisper again and a moan comes from someone lying a few yards from me. It's Beetee. He's unconscious but I try to get answers from him. He doesn't respond. I shake him violently, tears falling, begging him to tell me where Peeta has gone. He raises his hand to me and he's holding a knife wrapped in the wire. I see that the knife swings from wire that hangs around branch of the tree, that is only a foot maybe two from the force field. I gasp. Did he try to put the knife into it?

I remember when I shot the arrow up into the sky I caught a glimpse of the real world just outside of the arena. Is that what he was trying to do? The blood loss is growing and I place my hand over my stomach. I'm killing her. I just know it.

"Katniss!" I hear Peeta yell. He must have figure out something has happened. I can't protect him if they come. So I draw them to me. Anyone within the area will be killed instantly when that lightning hits.

"Peeta! I'm here!" I yell. I know that with his leg, he won't make it before the lightning strikes. I suddenly hear two sets of footprints coming toward me. It's Finnick and Enobaria. It worked. They can't see me because of the ointment. I load my bow and zero in on Enobaria. Another cannon fires and Peeta screams for me. Finnick and Enobaria are good as gone. I spring back and count in my head at the people left, my enemies. I catch on the word and stop. Enemy? These people are not my enemy. They are products of the games. They are made to be my enemy. I drop the bow and realize that Enobaria is not my enemy. It's Snow. I grab Beetee's wire, wrapping it around my arrow and reload. I turn to the force field and aim for the wavering square. I release it and the wire flies behind the arrow just as the lighting hits the tree. I'm thrown backwards but I see my arrow hit the field and pieces begin to falls from the sky in fiery sheets. I can't move. The only though I have is my baby.

"I'm sorry." I whisper as I see a star shine in the real sky above me. I stare blankly above me as the hovercraft appears and plucks me from the ground. Johanna was right; I'm good as dead.


	12. Chapter 12

_Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games. It belongs to Suzanne Collins and her publishers._

A/N: I'm now going to go hide. Please don't hate me! 

I'm not dead, I'm trapped. I hear the hum of machines and the sounds of hushed voices around me. I try to open my eyes but I can't. I'm stuck in this sleep with no hope of waking up. I desperately try to get my brain to overpower whatever I've been given to put me in this state. I want to wake up! Damn it, Katniss open your eyes. They can't win. They don't own you. I bet they are keeping me like this to make sure I don't try and kill myself. They want that pleasure, I'm sure of it. I struggle with my mind, urging myself to just open my eyes. Finally I feel them do what I will them to do and the flutter open. Instantly I want to shu them again. I'm blinded by the bright lights bouncing of the white walls. I move to bring my hand up to cover my face but I've been restrained to the bed. Of course they don't want me to try to escape. I bet right now Snow is making a public announcement about my death which I'm sure will be televised.

I pull a the restraints but all they do is dig into the flesh of my wrists. I'm not going anywhere. I'm left alone and forced to think of what I've done. I single handedly killed Peeta and my child and I'm left to feel the guilt. I don't want to think of it but I do. Maybe the baby is better off. She will never have to endure what I did growing up in this country. I close my eyes and let the sedation take over, I don't want to feel anymore.

When I wake again, the restraints are gone and the tube attached to my arm is too. I quickly realize I'm not alone. Someone is next to my bed, head resting on the bed and their hands clasped around mine. I see blonde hair and nearly scream.

"Peeta!" I say, causing him to jump from his seat. He looks up at me, his face bandaged and arm in a sling. His eyes go wide and he climbs into the bed, gathering me in his arms.

"Katniss, I was so scared. I thought I lost you." he says. I curl into him and feel the moitsure from his tears hit my face, or are they mine? I don't care. I'm just glad he's hear and alive.

"Ho did you escape them? How did snow let you in here?" I ask him. He pulls me away, wiping the tears from my face and brushing the hair away.

"Katniss, we're not at the capitol." he says.

"We're not? Where are we?" I ask, knowing we are not in 12.

"District 13. It rebuilt underground." he tells me. I lay my head on his shoulder and begin to cry again.

"I'm so sorry, Peeta." I tell him. He rubs my back, soothing me.

"For what? You broke us out. If you hadn't we'd be dead." I tell him. I shake my head and pull back to look at him.

"I'm sorry I killed our baby." I tell him. She laughs, actually laughs at me.

"You didn't kill her. She's safe, right here." he says, taking my hand and guides it to my stomach. It's definitely bigger, but it's there.

"She's safe?" I choke out. I place my hand over my mouth afraid of what knd of sound will come out of it.

"She is. The doctors here have amazing machines here. They made sure she was alive before they treated you. They have this special kind of wand they used to hear her heartbeat. Oh Katniss, I wish you could have heard it. It was the most amazing sound I've ever heard." he tells me. I stare at my stomach in awe. She's safe and as if my doubts were any concern I feel her move and the doubts vanish. She's telling me she's okay.

"She's healthy, but they are concerned for you weight, but they know it's because of being in the arena. That's why they kept you sedated, to keep you nourished. They say you're about 14 weeks along." he says and I nod. I know exactly when I got pregnant. I'd never been with anyone but Peeta. He was my first and only.

"Oh! I forgot." he says and reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a black and white photo. He hands it to me. I stare at it in confusion. All I see is a black and white blob. Why is this important?

"What is it?" I ask. He smiles and turns the photo in my hands. He points to the center of the picture.

"That's our baby. I told you they have a lot of special machines here. This was taken with something they called an ultrasound. It was pretty awesome to see. I watched her move around on the screen. They said that it's too early to be certain but they are almost sure that she indeed is a girl." he says, beaming. I've never seen him so happy. I stare at the picture in my hands and place one of them over my stomach. My daughter. Two words I never thought I a million years I'd put together. I realize why I never thought it.

"What happened, Peeta? Why are we here? Why aren't we home?" I ask him. The smile fades from his face as does the color.

"There is no home, Katniss.. It's gone." he said. I stare at him, numb.

"What do you mean gone?"

"Gone. Obliviated. Snow had it bombed when we were pulled out of the arena." he tells me. I feel as if the air has been sucked from the room. I gasp, chocking for air to fill my lungs. Prim, Mom, Gale. All of the people I called friends. Gone. Peeta pulls me colser to him.

"Katniss, breathe. Please calm down." he says. I pull away from him and get off the bed. I plant my feet firmly on the floor and run as fast as I can. I run past the doctors and nurses shouting at me to stop. I need air, I need sun. I'm trapped. The doors are shut to every room. I keep running, turning corners and dodging people as they try to stop me.

"Katniss!" I hear someone yell and I stop. I know that voice. It's the voice that screamed my name as she was carried away from me at the reaping. Prim. I turn around and she stands with my mother behind her, tears falling down her cheeks. She runs toward me and I open my arms to her. She wraps her arms around me as soon as she reaches me.

"Prim." I whisper and hold on to her as if she were going to disappear at any moment. She clings to me, her tears soaking the paper thin material of my gown. She pulls away and looks up into my eyes.

"Katniss it was awful. The bombs they just came from nowhere. I was milking Lady when I saw the town blow up. Gale helped us escape." She tells me. Gale. Where is he? I look up and don't see him anywhere. Surely he would have been here with Prim. I lock eyes with my mother. There's so much sadness behind them.

"Katniss." Prim whispers up at me. I look back down at her. I take in all of her. When did she grow up? She's not my little duck anymore. Her dual braids now fall into a long single braid down the middle of her back. I notice that her arms are not around my waist but at my chest.

"Katniss." She says again and I put my focus on her.

"He's gone." She whispers, tear falling down her cheeks.

"Who's gone, little duck?" I ask. She pauses and looks back to my mother and Peeta who has joined her. Peeta nods.

"Gale."

My mind goes blank, and all feeling to my legs is gone. Prim can barely keep my on my feet. I feel two arms go around me and sit me in a chair.

"Come back to us, Sweetheart."

Haymitch. My eyes focus and he's kneeling in front of me. Anger flashes before my eyes. I want answers. I launch forward, my hands around his throat and I pin him to the ground.

"What the hell happened, Haymitch? He's dead because of me! They bombed my home because of me. Why didn't you let me just die?" I tell him. He flails beneath me, hands clawing at mine to release his neck. I feel the pinch of a needle and I'm back in my trapped state of sedation. I don't care. I don't want to feel anything. I want to die. He was supposed to be the one that survived. He wanted a family. He deserved a family. Now he's probably a pile of ash in what's left of 12. I finally shut off my mind and nightmares of fire and screaming children fill my subconscious.

When I finally wake up I see that the tube is back in my arm. Prim is curled at the end of my bed like a cat. I move my toes, tickling the back of Prim's foot. She opens up her eyes and looks at me. I nod my head up and she carefully crawls up to lie next to me. She lays her head on my chest, her hand resting on my belly.

"What happened to him, Prim?" I ask. She doesn't look up at me. She keeps her focus on the hand that is tracing circles around my navel.

"He came to our house, yelling we had to run. He gathered as many of us as he could in the meadow. He tried to go back for more. I tried to make him stay with us. But he refused. He said he had to get Peeta's family. He knew they would mean something to you. I watched him run to toward the town but he didn't make it. A bomb dropped just ahead of him. His leg was blown off. It was awful Katniss. I screamed until I couldn't scream anymore. Mom kept me close to her so I wouldn't run to try and save him. I knew if I could just get to him, I might be able to save him, like I did Lady. But mom wouldn't let me go."

"I'm glad she didn't."

"Why?"

"Because you'd be dead too." I tell her and kiss the top of her head. I place my hand over hers and close my eyes. I cry, mourning his death. I know I will have to put on a face after today, but right now, it's just me and my sister.

"So did you really marry Peeta?" she asks. Leave it to Prim to make light of things. I smile.

"I did. We got this that day too." I say, patting my belly.

"I can't believe you are having a baby. Mom over looked it when Peeta said so on the interview but when she saw how you were in the arena and proved you were indeed having a baby, she was shocked. I was happy though. You will be a great mom."

"How do you know that?" I ask.

"Because you did such a great job raising me and you were only eleven." She says.

"Thank you."

"Peeta says it's a girl. Is that what you want?"

"I knew she was a girl. I just felt it."

"What's it feel like?"

"What do you mean?"

"What does it feel like having this whole other person inside you?"

"When I first realized it, I felt afraid. Afraid I would fail as a mother. I was going into the arena and I felt that the baby was going to die before it took its first breath. Now I feel happy, especially when she moves like she is now, telling me she's okay and that she's a survivor."

"She's moving?" Prim asks, her eyes reflecting the light in the room. I grin and nod.

"She is. Right here." I tell her and place her hand where I feel the small flutters. She frowns.

"I don't feel anything." She says.

"Peeta said the same thing. She's just too small to kick hard enough for you to feel, I guess."

"Oh. I have to go. I need to finish my training hours for the day. Goodbye, I love you. She kisses my cheek and then my belly. "I love you too, baby." She says and hopes off the bed and disappears. I close my eyes once more and lose myself in the emptiness I feel. Having Prim here filled the void for just a while but now it's back. What did he think of this? I can't help wonder f things would have ended differently if I had run away with him last year. Could we have been happy? Would he be as happy as Peeta is about our child?

"Stop, Katniss." I tell myself. I roll to my side, pulling my knees up as far as I can without being uncomfortable. I let myself cry like I've not cried in years, succumbing to the pain.


	13. Chapter 13

_Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games. It belongs to Suzanne Collins and her publishers. This is purely entertainment and no profit is made from this._

A/N: Sorry I'm a little late with this one. Severe case of writer's block. I told you all from the beginning I was not a fan of how Mockingjay went so here's what I wanted. Thank you all for the wonderful reviews. They make my day! 

I'm screaming again. I haven't stopped since I woke up two days ago. I have the same dream over and over again. Gale being blown up. I'm screaming at him to run away, but he never does. The only time I don't wake up screaming is if Peeta is curled up next to me. He makes the nightmares go away. He always does. I don't know how but he does. I know he was jealous of my relationship with Gale but Peeta is the one I can't survive without. I can't have my daughter without him.

I push myself up to sit and I'm alone. I place my hand over my belly and smile as I feel her move inside me. I'm terrified to bring her into this world in the middle of a war. I don't even know what my role in this war is yet. I just know I helped spark it. They won't let me out of this room. My door is locked form the outside, keeping me in. I have nothing to do but think about all of the pain I've caused, the people whose deaths I'm responsible for. There's hundreds of people piled in the ash and rubble of my district. I blink back the tears that threaten to come.

I pull my knees to my chest, wrapping my arms around them, chin resting between them. I close my eyes and the image of my father taking me through the forest on my first hunt is behind them. We are sitting at the edge of the pond where my daughter was conceived. He's teaching me how to catch the slow moving fish of the pond. I clumsily try my hand but I end up falling in and prompting my first swimming lesson. I open my eyes and stand from my bed. No more, Katniss. I walk to the glass doors and press the button on the wall that signals someone to come to my room. I stand at the door, waiting for it to open. A nurse comes to the room dressed in the uniform everyone wears here, greys pants and t-shirt.

"Miss Everdeen?" she's asks.

"Please tell whoever is in charge I would like to see them." I tell her. She looks at me for a moment and then nods and leaves. I go to the bathroom and take a shower. I know I've been cleaned but I can feel the layer of grime on my skin. I stand beneath the warm water and sigh. My muscles relax and I close my eyes, letting the water flush over my face. I rub my hands over my face and reach for the bottle of soap that sits in the corner. I pour it into my hand and lather it into my hair, scrubbing my scalp with my nails. I have them now since I've been to comatose to bite them off. I step back under the stream and rinse. I step out of the shower and pull the towel around me, not bothering to dry my hair. I step out and find a middle aged woman sitting on my bed. Her grey hair falls in a neat line to her shoulders and she's wearing a grey business suit.

"Um.. hi. I need to get dressed." I tell her and quickly pad to the cabinet in the room and find that there are indeed clothes. I pull out a neatly folded stack and head back into the bathroom to get dressed. I emerge seconds later, Coin is still on my bed.

"I'm President Coin, You wanted to see me?" she asks. I nod and sit in the chair Peeta has been occupying on his visits.

"Um, yes. I want to go to my district." I tell her.

"Absolutely not. " She says. I fold my arms across my chest.

"Why not?"

"Because of your condition."

"My condition? Oh, the baby? Seriously?" I ask.

"We take pregnancies very seriously here, Miss Everdeen." She tells me coolly. I am tempted to roll my eyes at her but I refrain.

"I'm not that pregnant."

"You are pregnant enough. I will not be responsible for the loss of that child."

"I need to go. If I don't go I'll be a mess in here and I'll be no use to you or this rebellion." I tell her. Coin opens her mouth to respond but she doesn't. She's considering it.

"Fine, but you go on my terms, Understand. You will be escorted by two armed soldiers and our camera crew goes too."

"No. No camera's. I've seen enough cameras."

"No camera, no trip. Take it or leave it." She says with a shake of her head. I narrow my eyes at her and she remains cool.

"Ugh! Fine, but Peeta goes too. I need him with me. He's my husband and this is our child. We need to mourn the loss of our home, together."

"Agreed. I'll have the team prepared and the hovercraft will leave at 0800. Goodbye Miss Everdeen." She says and nods curtly before leaving my room. I sit on my bed, folding my legs under me and wait for my next meal. My doors open and another uniformed nurse comes in.

"Miss Everdeen, Coin has requested that you no longer be confined to your room. You are free to go, but you will remain under the care of the doctors and sleep here until further instructions are given." She says and cuts off my bracelet only to replace it with another tell the world that I'm mentally unstable. I don't care, because I have some freedom. Once she leaves I run my fingers through my damp hair and braid it down my back. I really hate having it down. It just gets in the way. I leave my room and follow the signs to where I'm supposed to eat, but instead I'm directed to a line of people. I watch as the each one by one stick their arm into a hole in the wall and remove it. As I approach the wall I tentively put my arm in and I feel something move across my arm and then it stops. I remove my arm and on the inside of it is printed a schedule. I try to rub it away, feeling it's just another way to control me, but it will not wash off. The words are foreign to me. Each hour of my day is planned. Breakfast is first on the list and I follow the crowd of people I assume are heading to where we eat. I hear the crowd growing and suddenly I'm in a large area, tables neatly placed in the room. I recognize some of the people from my district huddled at their tables, scared and unsure. Some of them clutch to their trays as if they will be taken away. Most of these people are from the seam. There's barely a merchant person among them. I instantly think of Peeta. His family is gone. Here I am wallowing in the loss of my best friend and his entire family is probably part of the ash that is District 12.

I move along the line and when I get to the front a soldier scans my schedule and my food is delivered to me. I instantly notice my portions are bigger than those of the person in front of me I'm also given milk instead of water. I shake my head and exit the line in search for a place to sit. I can practically feel the stares as I look for an empty table to sit alone.

"Katniss!" I hear over the roar of the room and spot Prim at a table in the corner with my mother and Peeta. There are a few other people sitting with them, their backs turned to me. Prim hollers my name again and they turn. My heart sinks. It's Gale's mother, his brothers and his little sister, Posy. Hazelle's eyes shine with grief but she smiles anyway. She's like a mother to me. More than my own was for a long time. I take a deep breath and walk to them, sitting next to Peeta. Posy instantly notices my tray.

"You have milk and more food! How did you get that?" she asks.

"That's not polite Posy. Apologize." Hazelle scolds her. Posy drops her gaze from my plate.

"I'm sorry, Katniss." I smile.

"It's okay." I tell her and pick up the spoon and eat the mushy grains in the bowl . My mother and Prim fill me in on the ins and outs of Thirteen. Each person is given a specific meal plan based on their age weight and physical labor. Mine is due to malnutrition and the pregnancy. Mother tells me that the women who successfully get pregnant are well taken care of to ensure the birth of a healthy child. They had a break out of pox that wiped out a lot of their children and left many men and women sterile. It makes sense why Coin doesn't want me to exert myself. But I'm sure that if my baby can survive the arena, she can survive me going to my district. The schedule on my arm is supposed to be followed exactly and it washes off at the end of the day but I don't care. I spot several people from the capitol here and my confusion overpowers everything. I'm back to wanting to know why I'm here.

"Peeta, I still need answers. I am so confused about everything. Where are the others? What happened?" I ask him. He nods and points the word on my arm. Command. His says the same.

"You'll get the answers there. Come on." He says and he takes my hand and leads me to another part of the building. A soldier stand guard at a locked door and Peeta lifts our arms to show him we are supposed to be here. The guard places his hand to a glass plate and the doors open. We step though and the voices in the room go silent. The faces around the table shock me. There's Haymitch, who refuses to look at me. I see the faint bruises around his neck and I almost feel sorry for them, almost. Coin sits at a chair at the head of the table, her lips pursed in a thin line. To her left sits Plutarch Heavensbee. I stare at him in shock. He smiles and comes to me, patting me on the back.

"Good to see you on your feet, Katniss." He says and points to his watch.

"I had meant to show you this as a mentor. I never dreamed you'd be a tribute." He tells me. He leads me to the table and I sit next to Peeta, never releasing his hand.

"What the hell happened?" I say. Haymitch actually laughs. Plutarch begins to tell me.

"As soon as the Quarter Quell was announced, we knew we had to you and the rest of the tributes out of that arena. We allied with the other districts, to ensure yours and Peeta's survival in that arena." He tells me. The bracelet. Finnick.

"What districts?"

"3, 4,7, 9, 11."

"7? Johanna mason tried to kill me!" I yell. The pain in my returns from where she hit me with that stupid cylinder.

"She had to cut the tracker from your arm."

'What?" I ask, rubbing the jagged scar from the cut she gave me. They go on to explain to that from the start they planned to get us out and the bread had been a sign as to how many hours left till they would retrieve us. 48 rolls, three days. Were we only there for three days? It seemed like an eternity.

"Where is Finnick, Beetee and Johanna? " I ask. Why aren't they here with us? If they had a part in this surely they would be here now.

"Finnick was captured along with Johanna and Enobaria. Beetee is in the weapons area. The rest of the tributes are dead." He says. Peeta grips my hand. I'm queasy. The room starts to spin and I want it to stop. Finnick. I know that he was a pain the ass before but he grew on me. He saved Peeta. I need to save him.

"Go get him! He needs to be saved." I yell, standing up and gripping the table for stability.

"Calm down, Katniss. This isn't good for the baby." Peeta calmly tells me. I look at him, scowling.

"He saved you Peeta! They risked their lives so we could live. We owe it to them!"

"I know, but Snow is using them against us. Finnick has begged for a cease fire."

"Oh please! You of all people know that Finnick won't back down. He's too stubborn."

"They've got Annie." He says and I fully understand. Annie Cresta, the poor mad girl that Finnick is in love with. The girl Mags volunteered for, and Mags who gave her life for mine. I slump into my chair and I'm given a leather bound book.

"This is for you." Plutarch says. I run my hand over the cover and flip it open. I instantly cry as I look at the sketch before me.

"It's a uniform." He tells me. I run my fingers over the black uniform and know what it is.

"A mockingjay." I whisper.

"Yes. You will be the face of the rebellion. Give people hope that we do not belong to them. You defied them and survived." He explains. My moment is interrupted by a feed over the screens surrounding the room. The Panem anthem is played and the symbol appears. There he is, Caesar Flickerman looking just as ridiculous as he did the night of my last interview. He's talking to someone but the camera hasn't shown yet. I hold my breath as the camera pans out and I nearly stop breathing. I jump from my seat, placing my hand to the screen. Cinna.


	14. Chapter 14

To all my fans-

Thank you for your support, but I must put this fic on hold. I was in a car accident and broke my wrist, and won't be able to write for a while. I apologize, but hope that you will continue to read it when I do start writing again.

Musical Midget


	15. Chapter 15

Hey all! I'm working on a new chapter now. I'm sorry for the delay. Thank you all for the concerns for my arm. It healed very well. I've been extremely busy and haven't had to time to write anything but papers for school. Be on the lookout for a chapter soon.

Musicalmidget


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: I sincerely apologize in the delay in the update on this. I have had an extremely busy year. I hope you all are still waiting for this and if not I understand. To make up for it, I've given you a big chapter. I do not plan on giving you all the details from the war in Mockingjay, just glimpses here and there of what's happening. I will jump time as well. Here you guys go!

I run to the screen, placing my hands on the glass. Cinna, The man who put his life on the line to make me beautiful, is standing behind a podium answering the questions Caesar throws at him. He's there because of me. I sink to my knees and take in the image of the man who was always in my corner. His beautiful face is bruised and swollen and his infamous gold eyeliner is barely noticeable. I can only see a faint glisten in spots where the light hits. I don't know what I'm more shocked by, his appearance, or the simple fact that he is alive. I was sure they had killed him for the stunt he had pulled with my wedding dress. I choke back a sob and I'm picked up and taken to a seat to watch the interview.

"I'm asking that the remaining districts remember that the capitol is still in control. Rebelling is not in your best fire, please. No good will come from this." Cinna speaks in a monotone voice. There is no emotion. This is not my stylist. This is a robotic version of the man her built my confidence. There is nothing but silence, including the program. Then I hear it, the clank of metal as Cinna moves his hand. I barely see it but I do. Around his wrist is metal, he's cuffed. He goes to speak once more and he is cut off with a blow to the back from a uniformed peacekeeper. He falls to the ground just as the feed goes black. I scream and fling myself at the tv, hitting it, begging for it to come back on.

"He's alive, why didn't you tell me he was alive?!" I yelling, punching whoever I can get ahold of. Before it can fling a punch at Haymitch, a hand catches my wrist and I turn to see my husband staring at me. I collapse into his arms and he gently falls to the floor and cradles me as I cry.

"Miss Everdeen, we…" President Snow starts and I cut her off.

"Mellark, My name is Katniss Mellark." I say through gritted teeth.

"Your marriage is not legal, you are Katniss Everdeen."

"He's my husband in every possible way, I'm pregnant with his baby. My last name is Mellark, deal with it."

"As you wish, but we can make the marriage legal after you've fulfilled your duties."

"My duties? You do not own me. No one owns me."

"Katniss, please let me explain." Plutarch chimes in, knowing that this conversation could turn deadly. I'm not the stablest of people at the moment. Peeta helps me up and I sit back down in the chair.

"Thank you. Katniss, you created a spark when the two of you dared to challenge the capitol and let one of you die. You became a beacon of hope to the districts that have felt the harsh sting of the capitol way of submission. What we plan is to have us here at 13 cause a full out rebellion against the capitol. Youwill be the face of the rebellion. You will become theMockingkay." Plutarch explains. Peeta jumps up and immediately objects.

"Absolutely not. There is no way in hell my wife is going to war. She's pregnant you idiots. Do you honestly think I would agree to let her go traipsing off to battle, knowing she nearly lost our child in that damned arena?"

"You misunderstood, Peeta. In no way would we want to harm that baby. That child is loved by more people than you could possibly imagine. If any harm comes to Katniss or that baby, we would have to be prepared for more than just the capitol. Katniss will be more of a spokesperson. We need her to shoot video spots and speeches to convince the other districts to join in our rebellion. She will wear the Mockingjay uniform and shoot a series of segments, showing what the capitol has done to her and her family. Your trip to the remains of District 12 will be the beginning. Beetee has found a way to tap into the capitol news feed and get the segments aired and cut off the feed from the capitol. We need to get your face on those screens." He explains. I stare at him like he's grown a second head. He's insane if he thinks we can pull a stunt like that off. I stand up and walk out of the room.

"You have not been dismissed, Soldier Everdeen," Coin states. I ignore and run, as fast as I can. The big guy to my right tries to grab me and is prepared to wrestle me to the ground. I dodge him and hear a scuffle as I escape the room. I sprint as fast as I can, despite my condition and slip into a room. I don't even know where I am but I see shelves lined with boxes. My curiosity gets the best of me and I open the first box I can reach. I am slightly disappointed to see about 500 pencils neatly lined in the box. I am about to close the box to replace it when the door opens and I drop the box, scattering the pencils in the floor. I raise my fists, ready to defend when I see Peeta's face. I instantly drop my hands and rush into his arms.

"Are you okay?" he whispers, knotting his fingers in my hair. I slowly shake my head. He gently eases me to the ground so he can hold me like he did in the arena. He cradles my body with his own and for the first time since I arrived in 13 I feel safe.

"He's alive, Peeta." I whisper. I don't have to say his name. He knows.

"He is, but his speech on that stage could damage their plans. The rebels know he's not being cooperative, I mean his appearance alone is proof of that, but his words are deadly to the cause. The districts know who he is and who he is connected with. He's your stylist, he made you the Mockingjay. To see him broken and speaking for the Capitol can cause the districts to change their mind about the rebellion. It can convince them that the Capitol is unbeatable. He helped create the icon they come to love and to see him, the man who defied the capitol with a simple dress, succumb to the power of the Capitol can break this rebellion before it even gets started," he explained. I sit up in realization, grabbing pencils and begin to stuff them back into the unforgiving box they came from.

"We can't let the districts believe him! There can't be a cease fire. I refuse to go back and be controlled by the capitol. They will not kill me, not yet, they will wait until she's born and use her to defeat me. I will not allow our child to be their pawn." I tell him. He scoops up a handful of the pencils and evens them out.

"I know, baby. I know."

"That man up there speaking is not Cinna. He's being manipulated. What he says is not him." I say, gripped the pencils so hard that a few snap in my hand. Peeta gently opens my hand and takes them away from me before I can break anymore.

"He's trying to keep you alive, just like the rest of the country. You are their hope, Katniss." He whispers and places the pencils neatly in their box. He takes my hand and pulls me to my feet. "The question is, will you be that hope? What do you want to do?" he asks, pushing a piece of my hair from my face. My skin tingles where he has touched me and I realize how much I've missed his touch in the last few days.

I lean into him and kiss him softly, the kiss deepens and I have to pull away before I let him have me here in this closet.

"I'll do it."

"Do what?"

"I'll become the Mockingjay." I tell him. He smiles, but then it fades as quickly as it appeared.

"Promise me, you will be careful. I can't bear to lose either of you." He says and places his hand over my growing belly. With the weight loss from the arena, and my own petite stature, I look further along than I actually am. You can definitely tell I am pregnant. It's small but well defined and hard. I absolutely love the feeling of her moving. It's honestly the best thing I've ever felt. I place my hand over his and kiss him softly.

"We will be careful. I will not do anything that will harm her. I can't even think about losing her." He pulls away and rest my forehead against his and let ourselves get lost in this moment with him. I smile and know that this is what I want for the rest of my life. I have to help save this country for my family.

"Let's get ready to go to 12, I need to see it for myself before I can do this," I tell him. He nods and softly kisses my lips and leads me from the room. He leads me back to the conference room we were in and I sit down at the large table, ready to take on the Capitol.

"I'm glad you've decided to join us, Solider Everdeen." Coin tells me. I scowl at her. I want this woman to know I have no respect for her. She's just another person on my list of people I do not trust, right up there with Snow.

"She's asked that you refer to her as Mellark. She is my wife. Please respect her wishes. She is afterall, putting herself and the life of our daughter on the line for you. The least you could do isdo as she has asked." Peeta scolds, calmly but assertively. Coin nods her head.

"Of course, my apologies." She responds. Plutarch Heavensbee places a large leather bound book in front of me and I open it up. I gasp at the images before me. Inside the book are drawings of clothes, I instantly know who this belongs to. Cinna. It's his sketch books. Only, everything in this book are the clothes he has designed for me. Sketches of my beautiful wedding dress, the formulas to transform the dress to the Mockingjay are among the few I recognize. I flip through and a stunning uniform stands out. It's a replica of my Mockingjay dress, only it's a soldier uniform. What stands out to me above anything is the fact that every model on the page is me. My face is behind that vicious looking soldier. The uniform is black with full sleeves made to show white under the arms. Wings. It's completes with a helmet and areas to hide all sorts of weapons. I don't think he took into consideration that I wouldn't be going to battle. He didn't know I'd be pregnant. Hell, I didn't know I'd be pregnant at 17.

"It's magnificent. When did he have time to make this?" I ask, running my fingers over the beautiful pictures.

"After the announcement of the Quarter Quell, I was made to promise not to show you this until you agreed to be the Mockingjay." Heavensbee explained. I flip to the final page of the book and written on the page in his small handwriting, I'm still betting on you. I put my hand over my mouth to silence the sob that tries to escape.

"This isn't the only uniform he's created for you. He also made you a uniform just for being the spokesperson. It's the same design but it is not armored like this one. Katniss, not only did he design them, we have them for you. They are in the armory along with a surprise from Beetee.

"You are going to look beautiful, my little rebel." Peeta whispers into my ear, causing me to blush. I gently shove him away and push myself to my feet.

"Take me to them." I demand. Peeta, Plutarch and I leave the room and get on the elevator.

"I have another surprise for you. 3908, that's where we are going." He says and punches the button marked 39 and nothing happens. He frowns and then remembers he has a card. He swipes it and the door close and we begin to move. We suddenly stop and when the doors open, we are stopped by two guards.

"You do not have the authorization to be here, please go back." One tells us and they block the hallway. I can see the door just past them.

"We have the room number right here. Just call up and…" Plutarch explains but they ignore him and try shoving us down the hall. I look to Peeta and he understands and pretends to trip and falls over, taking a guard down with him.

"Oh, I am so sorry. It's this leg of mine. I am always falling over." He says as the other guard helps them both to their feet. I take this opportunity and sprint down the hallway and open up the door. The stench of urine and blood fill my nose and it's all I can do to not puke in the floor. I hold my breath and cover my nose and mouth. I look up and see what's left of my prep team. My voice catches in my throat as I see that they are chained to the wall. I'm sickened. I rush over to them and Octavia and Flavius pull back from me. It's heartbreaking. I don't understand why they are afraid of me. I've never voiced my opinion to them.

Behind me the door slams open and the guards are yelling at me to leave the room. Anger ignites behind my eyes and I turn around, demanding answers. No one will speak. It's Venia who opens her mouth first.

"They took us." She whispers. Plutarch enters and his shocked to see the state of my team. "What on earth is going on? Why are they chained?"

I ignore him and focus my attention on Venia. I take her cold hands in mine and she clings to them.

"Who took you?"

"I don't know. They came in the middle of the night and just took us. We had no idea what was going on." She explains and starts to cry.

"We thought you would feel comfort by having them requested they be here." Plutarch explains.

"Cinna wanted them chained?" I ask, knowing it's not the truth. "Why are they being treated like this?"

"They stole bread," a guard voices. Venia begins to shake her head, confused.

"We didn't know what was happening. We were hungry and she only took one piece!"

Nest to her, Octavia cries out, sobbing. I remember her kindness after the first time I came out of the arena and her sneaking a roll to me because she could handle my being hungry. I gently touch her arm and she jerks as if she were on fire.

"It's okay, I'm here to get you out of here." I tell her and I stand to my feet, facing the guards. "Unchain them."

"It's not allowed."

"I said unchain them, now!" I yell, my fist clenched. The guard is taken back by my demands and stumbles over his next statement.

"I can't. I don't have the authority …"

"You have mine, unchain them as she asked. We have come for them anyway. They are needed for the cause." Plutarch demands. The guard leaves for a second and returns with a key and releases them. I take all three of them in my arms and hug them. I don't know why, but they bring me comfort. I know if Gale were here, he'd reprimand me for defending the people that prettied me up to be killed. But it's not like that for them. They were raised with the games, they are like children. I remember their heartbreak the day before the Quarter Quell. Flavius and Octavia cried so hard they couldn't even finish prepping me andVenia could barely say good-bye. They love me and to my surprise I love them. They are part of my dysfunctional family.

I tell the guards to take them upstairs and let them get cleaned up while I finish up with Special Defenses. He nods, clearly not happy taking orders from a citizen. I hug them once more and leave.

Once again I'm in the elevator and am taken down deep into the earth. Once it opens, I'm standing in the middle of a stark white room, weapon line the walls and in the center inside a large glass case are my uniforms. They are more stunning in person than in the sketchbook. I walk up to them and place my hand on the glass. I love them, but seeing them in person I'm worried how they will fit. They look small, and there's more to me then there was when he made them. There's a mini me to accommodate. As if she knows I'm thinking about her, she move and I place my hand over my belly.

When I first realized I was pregnant, I was terrified. I didn't want to become a mother. I had really hoped I would die in the arena, so she would never have to be a part of the games. Then part of me hoped that if I came out alive again, that I would lose her. But the moment I thought I had lost her, I was devastated. Iwanted her more than I wanted Peeta to live. So the first time I felt her move, I couldn't imagine not being pregnant. She instantly became my reason to live. I had to get out and take her father with me.

I'm pulled out of my daydream as Peeta places his hand on the small of my back.

"Is she moving again?" he asks. I smile and nod.

"I wish I could feel it." He whispers, placing his hand over mine. I wished he could too.

"You will soon." I tell him and softly kiss him.

"I'm worried they won't fit." I tell him. He looks at the uniforms and nods in understanding.

"There's only one way to find out." He says and pushes open a door I never saw. We walk in and I run my fingers down the fabric. It's lightweight and I can't wait to put them on. Peetapulls them down and I follow him out as he leads me to a private area for me to try them on. I walk in and being to undress and slip the least deadly of the two on. The one I will be wearing on my trip to 12. The fabric easily slides up my legs and over my belly. I'm in shock. I then realize the fabric is made to stretch. It doesn't even feel as if the fabric is being stretched too much. The tightness of the fabric actually accentuates the swell of my pregnancy and makes its presence known. It's almost as if he knew. I then remember the dresses before the quell. I smile. I barely fit into the dresses he had made for the photo shoot. I took it as me training for the quell, but he was skeptical. He knew.

"Sneaky bastard. A little clue would have been nice." I mutter. I come out of the room and the entire room goes silent at the sight of me. I search for him first. He's in the front, standing right in the center, beaming with pride.

"It fits." He says.

"Of course it fits, Cinna made the fabric to stretch to any size. The announcement of your pregnancy in the interviews was not really a surprise to some of us. Cinna had suspected it during your dress shoot. He only let a few people know and that you had no clue." Plutarch explains. I laugh.

"I didn't know. Actually, it wasn't until Peeta had announced the pregnancy during the interviews that I had even realized it. Peetahad lied about the pregnancy, but he didn't know it was the truth." I admit. Everyone looks to Peeta and he nods.

"It's true, I had to think of something to try to halt the games. I never thought it was the true. After the interviews, I found her puking and she told me. I couldn't have been more scared in my life." He explains as he walks toward me. I put my arms around him and we turn to the crowd. I find Coin in the crowd and walk straight to her.

"Here's the deal, I go to 12, Peeta goes with me. All captured victors in the Capitol are to be rescued and given pardon, this includes Cinna and Finnick. They will not be punished." I tell her. Coin purses her lip.

"That is not the way of life here. They will be tried and…" shebeings and I cut her off.

"No, they will be pardoned or you will not have a mockingjay."

"Alright," she states.

"I don't want just an alright. You will make a public announcement. I want everyone to know the deal. This way you cannot go back on it."

Coin fold her arms and stares at me, angry that I'm demanding things from her. I have a feeling she's never had to bargain anything in her reign. She curtly nods her head and turns on her heel to leave. I breathe in relief.

"That was incredible, Katniss." I hear from a voice I instantly recognize and I sink. It's Beetee. I search for him and can't find him in the crown and a few people part and he wheels up to me in a wheelchair. He looks frail but he's alive. I hug him tightly.

"I'm so sorry, Beetee." I tell him and he pulls away.

"Don't you apologize. You did what I couldn't do. We will get them out of there." He says. I nod and do not allow myself to cry again. Not while I'm wearing this. I am the Mockingjay.


	17. Chapter 17

The dust coats my boots as I stare at what is left of my district. The blinding sun makes it hard for me to even focus on. All around me I see the remains of what used to be the Seam. My home. I haven't lived here in the past year but it will always be home. I walk the familiar road to my house and my foot catches what I think to be a rock. I kick it out of my way and am horrified to find it is not a rock at all, but a skull. I try to think of who it might be but there's no use. All that's left is crushed and burnt. This only fuels the fire that burns in the pit of my stomach; much like the flames that still burn under the ground. Peeta stands firm next to me, his hand tangled with mine. Without him by my side I would not be able to do this. I know he needed this as much as I did. He walks me to the steps of what remains of my house. It's nothing but a few walls and the chimney. I let a tear escape my cheek and I step on the pile of rubble. I search the area for anything that can be salvaged. I manage to find my parents wedding photo and place it in the bag on my back. I kick the burnt boards and charred pieces of furniture hoping to find something. It's Peeta who finds what I'm looking for. I turn to my left and see him holding my father's jacket. I smile brightly, because the jacket is unharmed. It's covered in ash but it's completely intact. I grab it from him and the leather is still as soft as ever and warm. I pull the leather to my nose and take in the smell, but all I get is a nose full of ashes. I put it in the bag with the photo and decide I'm done when I hear the familiar growl of my sister's awful cat. I turn around and sure enough there's the orange tabby, on all fours, staring at me. I'm glad to see he's alive. It will make Prim happy to have him. Peeta begins to slowly approach him.

"I wouldn't do that unless you want a face full of scratches." I tell him but he ignores me. He walks up to Buttercup and that stupid cat actually lets him pick him up.

"I guess he only hates me. I don't say I blame him. I did try to drown him." I say and walk away from the rubble of my house and go to the house in Victors Village. I know that there are things there my mother and Prim will need. I know Peeta will need things from his house as well. We arrive and it's the only area of District 12 unharmed. It stands completely unscathed. I roll my eyes. Of course they would want the Village intact for government use. It makes me sick. I walk up to my house and kiss Peeta softly and he goes to his own house. It's the first time we've been separated since I agreed to be the Mockingjay. I walk into the house and instantly feel a since of dread. I walk into the kitchen and grab the book of plants my father wrote and my mother small medical kit. I go to my bedroom and the smell catches me first. It's overwhelming. I look to find the source and spot it, nestled in vase among the wilting flowers on my dresser, a single white rose. I grasp every inch of my body, trying to find something to arm myself but I come up with nothing. I search the room, waiting for a peacekeeper to appear and drag me out of the house by the hair of my head, but there's no one. I'm alone. Snow's message is clear. He will find me. I rip the rose from the vase and throw it to the ground and step on it, breaking the petals off of the stem. I leave my house and practically run to Peeta's.

"Peeta!" I yell. Peeta comes around the corner, running as much as he can with his leg.

"What's wrong? Is the baby…" he starts. I put up my hand, shaking his head.

"The baby is fine, I've got to get out of here." I explain.

"Of course. Give me a minute, let me grab my supplies." He says and disappears only to return a few moment later with a case and a canvas.

"What is that?" I ask. He smiles and turns it over. It's the painting from the photo shoot, me in my wedding dress. I smile and walk over to him. I kiss him softly and suddenly I want more of him. I know we shouldn't but I can't help it. I've not been able to so much as kiss him the way I want since coming out of the arena.

"Peeta…" I whisper.

"I know." He responds and we put all of our things on the floor. He leads me to his bedroom and I grin. We've been married for nearly 4 months and I've only been able to be with him twice, and neither was in a bed. Both times were on the ground and one of those was public. I didn't care, I needed him in that moment.

He takes me to the bed and I lay down on the bed. He climbs up on it, careful not to put his weight on me, but I know the artificial leg makes it hard for him. I place my hand on his chest.

"Peeta, take it off." I tell him and he looks down at me like I've grown a second head.

"Katniss…" he starts, but I cut him off with a kiss.

"Take it off. I want to see. You are my husband, I need to see." I tell him. He nods and climbs down off of the bed. He unbuttons his pants and slides his pants down over his hips. The artificial legs starts just below his thigh, it's incredible how it stays attached. I see no visible straps or harnesses so I'm curious.

"How does it stay on it?" I ask. Peeta laughs at my boldness.

"It's molded to fit my leg. It's really just slips onto what's left of my leg and it stays. It's designed to be free standing, so it's light." He explains and sits down on the edge of the bed. He hesitates, placing his hands on the top of the leg.

"Peeta, you don't…"

"You're right. I need to let you see it." He says and slips off the leg, allowing it to drop to the floor. The stump of his leg is foreign to me. It's red and the scar from the cut that was closed is awful. It's jagged and irritated. I reach over and run my fingers over it.

"Does it hurt?" I ask.

"The scar itself? No. It's the pain I have from the leg that's not there. They said it's normal for an amputee to feel pain from the cut off limb. It's a psychosis or something like that." He tell me and I do something I didn't expect. I get off of the bed and kneel in front of him. I gently take the limb in my hands and message the area and then lean in a softly kiss the scar. I hear him gasp above me and I pull away.

"I'm sorry!" I tell him, thinking I've hurt him. He grabs my hands and pulls me up to him.

"No, don't be sorry. I didn't think you doing this would be arousing, but wow." He whispers. He moves his hand to my hair and pulls the band from it, and releases my braid.

"I like it down."

I grin and lean in to him and kiss him. He grabs a handful of my hair and pulls me back to the bed. He moves up my body, and tries not to place any weight on me.

"Peeta, you can lay on me, you aren't going to hurt her. But swear, if you do not touch me right now, I'm going to scream." I tell him and pull him to me in a crushing kiss. He groans and pushes off of me and unzips the front of my uniform. I help him shed the material and I pull his shirt over his head. We are both left in our underwear and we simply take each other in. He's honestly the most beautiful creature I've ever seen. His chest is defined, but not defined like Finnicks or Gales, but defined from years of lifting heavy objects over his head. I run my fingers over the definition and lean up, and run my tongue over the muscles. He grabs my wrists and pushes me back to the bed. He moves his hands to my underwear and pulls them down my legs. I sit up and take my bra off and fling it across the room. I'm completely naked before him and I suddenly start to blush. I'm no longer thin, and my skin is covered in freckles and stark white. I try to cover myself and he stops me.

"I'm not pretty. Don't look."

"I beg to differ. You are beautiful. Especially with this." He says, running his fingers over the swell of my abdomen. He leans in and kisses it and then kisses his way up to the valley between my breasts and I moan as he moves to my left breast. I lean into his kiss, begging for more. I move my own hands to his boxers and pull them down, releasing him. I place my hands around him and gently pump him in my hand. He grows harder and harder until I think he's going to explode in my hand. He then pulls away and I spread my legs for him. He kisses me as he pushes into me and I gasp. I literally feel every part of him. He moves instantly and I wrap my legs around him to take him in. My skin is on fire. I moan his name over and over, writhing for more of him. I beg him to speed up and he obliges. The room is filled with our voices of pleasure and I actually hear my own moans. They sound so weird to me but I don't care. I need this. Peeta then leans over me, pushing deeper into me, until I think he's penetrating my stomach. It's unlike anything I've ever felt in my life. He slams into me once, twice, three times and I feel the building in the pit of my stomach. I throw my arms around him and sink what's left of my nails into his flesh. He seethes in pleasure and he sits up, placing his arms around my back so I'm seated with him. Now I can help him. I move with him, matching every movement. I bury my face in the cook of his neck, and gently bite into his shoulder. He screams my name as I feel him release and I follow, clinging to him with everything I have. I collapse into him, my body spent. He eases me down to the bed and slowly pulls out of me. I don't want to move from this bed, ever. But I know our little moment is over.

Now our work really begins. Now we have to pretend for the camera's that have been waiting in the hovercraft, giving us some time to go over the wreckage before they film our emotions for Panem. I quickly dress and Peeta does the same. I look over to him and he's wearing the biggest smile I've ever seen. I walk over to him, and kiss hom once more for good measure.

"Better get our game faces on. Can't been seen smiling." I tell him. I am angry and I'm hurt, but right now, with him, I'm the happiest person on the planet. During the first games, I did pretend, but that night in the cave, something changed. It really did, but I fooled myself into thinking it was nothing. I loved Gale. The tour changed everything. He is the only person that can take away the nightmares, he knows what I feel. That first night on the train when he slept by my side, I knew that I not only loved Peeta but I was in love with him. I pull myself once again out of the trance and stare into his blue eyes, blue eyes I hope our daughter inherits.

"Come on. Let's not keep them waiting any longer." I say and take his hand in mine. He squeezes my hand and I press the small button on my uniform that allows me to communicate with the hovercraft.

"We're ready." I tell them and walk to the door. I can hear the hovercraft approach the village and know the camera crew is waiting at the door to take in our reactions. I take a deep breath and Peeta opens the door. Sure enough they are there, rolling. I hold my head up and can't decide if I should be angry or sad. Anger. I purse my lips and stare straight into the cameras. I let Peeta lead us down the walk to the crew. I look around and turn back to the camera.

"Look at the only homes that remain. They demolished our home, but kept their precious Victor's Village. They don't care if they destroyed our lives, killed innocent children and left children without their parents." I say, and walk past the camera and lead them to the town square. We haven't been here yet, so this will hit us hard, especially Peeta. We walk to the center and the large metal pole that Gale was chained to still stands. I walk over and place my hands on it. I turn to the camera then to Peeta. He grabs me and hugs me tightly. He turns to the camera and speaks.

"Her cousin, Gale was tied to this and beaten publically for trying to feed his family. Her cousin died in the attack on our district." He explains and rubs my back for good measure.

"Come on. I want to see my home." He whispers. I pull away and wipe an invisible tear. I nod and hold his hand as we make our ways across the square to what's left of the bakery. The windows are blown out and the building is semi standing, but the back half of it is completely gone. He lets go of my hand and I let him have this time to himself. He steps through the large hole where the window used to be and stands in the rubble, searching for anything that may have survived: As I did with my house in the seam. He reaches down and picks up charred planks of wood and kicks over a piece of metal. The camera crew zooms in on him as he reaches down and picks up something from the ground. It's a small doll. I've never seen it before, and he has no sisters. So the doll must have belonged to a little girl who is undoubtedly buried in the rubble of the bakery. Peeta must realize this too and he begins to lift and move pieces of rubble and throws them carelessly behind him, trying to find anything. Suddenly his hand jerks back and he begins to cry. I know I shouldn't but I walk over and peer in to see what he is looking at. There in the pile of the wood with burns scaring her face, and her expression is in a permanent scream. I cover my mouth and let the sobs flow. The camera zooms in on Peeta as he gently moves the rest of the rubble around her and he carefully lifts her tiny body from the heap. She can't be any more than 4 years old. I remember Prim at that age. She was so tiny, so frail that I was afraid that she would break if I touched her. Plutarch orders the cameras to cut but I shake my head.

"No, let them see. Make them watch what they've done to us." I tell them through my own tears. I walk toward Peeta. He shakes his head, begging me to stay back.

"Please Katniss, stay back." He states calmly. I don't understand, that is until he walks by me and I can smell the reason why. Her body reeks of decomposing burnt flesh. I cover my face with my hands, trying to keep the nausea from making appearance. I try to get a better look at her. Her hair, although covered in soot and ash is blonde, the signature color of a merchant born child, like Peeta. I would even go as far to say her eyes were blue. In a moment my mind flashes the image of Peeta cradling our own daughter as she lies dead in his arms. I let out a horrified scream and drop to the ground, clutching at my stomach, trying desperately to protect her. Peeta lays the girl on the ground and rushes to my side.

"Katniss? Katniss!" he yells, trying to shaking me out of my state. But there's no use. I've seen it and I can't un-see it. Our daughter is going to be born in the middle of a war, and she could be killed. I suddenly regret all of this. The camera's zoom in on me and I notice this. Peeta must too.

"Turn them off. Now!" He screams, but they continue rolling. The red blinking lights of camera's go off and the crew retreats a few yards, giving me space.

My mind is filled with several different scenarios that end with her death. I cover my head trying to get the images to go away but they keep coming.

"Peeta, make it stop. Please make it stop. They're going to kill her." I beg him and he just puts his arms around my shoulders and releases my hair from its braid and he knots his hand in my dark locks. This is something he did on the train that always made the nightmares go away. He manages to get my hands away from my head and makes me look at him.

"Katniss, listen to me. This is not real. Say it." He whispers.

"This is not real." I repeat, but I don't believe it. The images were so real.

"What did you see?" he asks. I peer over his shoulder and see the little girl lying there in the ash of the District and then see the camera crew. They are antsy, dying to get this on film.

"Turn them on." I tell Peeta. He scrunches his face, confused.

"The camera's Peeta. I want them to know what I saw. I want the people of Panem to see exactly what their president is capable of." I tell him. He nods, understanding. He turns his head and gives them a curt nod, indicating they can start filming again.

"Now, what did you see?" he asks again.

"The baby. When you passed me with the girl, her face was replaced with what I hope the baby looks like. You were cradling her just as you were her, and she was dead. Then I saw different ways she would be killed. First she was burnt, then blown up, the worst was watching Snow take her away and kill her right in front of me. He…" I start and cover my mouth to prevent the sound that I know is trying to come out.

"He? He what Katniss?" Peeta asks.

"He just picked her up and shot her through the head just like the peacekeepers did that man in 11." I tell him, losing myself to the sobbing.

"Shhh, it's okay. He's not going to get her. She's safe, right here." He tells me and I shake my head.

"She isn't safe. She'll never be safe."

He takes my hand and guides it to my abdomen.

"She's right here, in the safest place she can be, with you. Feel her Katniss. Close your eyes and feel your baby." He whispers. I close my eyes, letting my body and mind relax. A small smile pulls at my lips as I feel the familiar flutters of her dancing around. She's safe. I grab his chin and kiss him softly.

"Thank you."

"No problem." He says and helps me to my feet.

"Do you mind if I help you? I know what I want to do." he nods and I walk with him and he picks up the little girl once more.

"Take her to the meadow, I will meet you there." I tell him. He starts to protest but I give him a look, telling him I'll be okay. He softens and kisses my cheek before we part.

I walk back to the Victor's Village. I walk straight to the small garden Prim had planted while we lived there. The lack of rain has killed most of what she had planted and I am defeated, but I smile as I see the small white flowers poking through the dead that surrounds it. I gather as many as I can see and take them back with me to the meadow.

Peeta is there, he has her laid out on the soft grass that has begun to show through the ash. He pushes her hair from her face and then take the canteen at his side and pours it into his hands. He wipes it across her face, revealing a bit of pink flesh beneath the soot. There is minimal skin on her face that isn't burnt. I meet him and kneel beside the child and lay the flowers out around her, as I did with Rue in the arena. I run my hands through her hair and being to sing the meadow song.

_Deep in the meadow under the willow, a bed of grass of soft green pillow…_


	18. Chapter 18

_A/N: I hope my super updating has made up for my lack of writing. I've been on a roll with this and can't write fast enough. I hope you enjoy my spin on the books. _

Weeks have passed since our visit to 12. I honestly don't remember how many because they are all jumbled together. The only thing I do notice is the increase in the size of my belly. I've been issued new clothes to accommodate my pregnancy. I am currently stuck in the Special defense unit, shooting propos inside, safely from any action.

I've also been too busy to even recall the date. We've been going to the districts, letting people see me and Peeta and flaunt my pregnancy. One particular visit that was the hardest was visiting 8 after it was bombed. They didn't get out, but they managed to save quite a few of their people. The hardest part was going through their hospital; it was more of a warehouse to store the bodies of the people that were going to die. Peeta was against me going in the beginning, but I told him I had to go. I had to give them their hope back. While there, people gushed over the pregnancy, happy to see the baby survived the games and that Peeta and I were okay. Hand after hand touched my stomach and people cried at the feel of my pregnancy. It was the moment that happened after being in the hospital that put me out of any real interaction of the people in Panem. As we were leaving, dozens upon dozens of hovercrafts appeared, prepared to bomb what was left of the district. I was ordered to evacuated and get to a bunker, but I couldn't leave them to die. I wanted to fight. Thanks to a special bow created for me by Beetee, I was able to take down several of the hovercrafts, but in the end, I couldn't save them. They were focused on the hospital and they successfully obliterated the wounded. In the process, I took a piece of shrapnel to the leg and have been forbidden to even think about stepping out of 13 for anything. They did however; manage to get footage of me fighting, pregnant and very angry. I told Snow that if we burn he burns with us. I guess I did enough.

I shake my head as I remember what happened and I don't know what day that was or frankly what today is. I just hate being confined. I need to get out of her, do something. They've tried letting me use a room that is made to look like a meadow, to let me meditate, but it doesn't work. I just see the little girl Peeta and I placed in the Meadow in 12. I am itching to get my hands back on that bow and try it out. Beetee designed an amazing bow for me. It's mine and only mine. The bow only responds to my voice and comes with deadly arrows. Suddenly I have an idea. I jump up from my seat and head to Command. I need to see Coin. I wait at the door until I've been given clearance to enter. I's seen immediately. I nod at President Coin and sit before her.

"What can I help you with?" she asks. I know she hates me.

"I want to hunt." I say clearly.

"No."

"I can't take being cooped up in here any longer. If I do, I'm going to start shooting things in Special Defense."

"You know why we can't allow you to hunt."

"Seriously? I'm pregnant, not handicapped. She's fine, I'm fine. Do you really think I'd ask you if I thought in any way that my hunting would cause her harm? Have you seen the propos? I am so protective of her."

"She has a point." A voice calls from behind me and I grin. He always shows up when I need him. I feel his hands grasp my shoulders and I look up to see him winking at me.

"You are agreeing with this, Peeta?" Coin asks, surprised.

"I am. You don't know her like I do. Being cooped up in here is going to cause her and the baby more harm than if she's allowed to hunt. In here she's left to her own devices and we both know that's not always a good thing." He says. I can't help but chuckle. He knows me so well.

"Very well, but here's the deal, all game you kill must be given to the kitchens. You will have a guard with you at all times, in case something were to happen." She explains.

"I'll watch her." Peeta volunteers, but I laugh. He knows he's not quiet enough to hunt with me, not with his leg.

"I'm afraid that's not up to you. You Soldier Mellark, are to report to training." Coin says and she leaves without another word. I look up at him.

"Training for what?" I ask. He looks down at the floor, refusing to look at me.

"Peeta, what training?" I ask again. He walks in front of me, and kneels, placing his hands on his knees.

"I'm being trained for combat. I start in the morning." I stand up, and start to pace.

"No, they can't do that! They can't make you go. I can't let you go!" I scream. They want to take him away from me again. Why can't they just let us be happy?

"Katniss, you need to calm down. It's not good for the baby." He says, coming up behind me to wrpp is arms around me. I shove out of his embrace.

"You going to war isn't good for the baby! What if something happens to you? What do I tell our daughter when she asks why she doesn't have a father? I grew up without a father, I do not want that for her!"

"I'm not going anywhere. Besides, in order to even been considered for actual combat, we have to take a test. I probably won't pass it. I'm not hunter and I'm definitely not fast enough to escape any kind of battle." He tells me and pulls me into his arms.

"I hate this. I hate that I'm so emotional that the slightest things make me cry. I turn crazy at the drop of a hat." I tell him and bury my head in his shoulder. He feel him chuckle and I pull away, smacking his shoulder.

"This is not funny Peeta. I'm an emotionally unstable." I tell him and turn to leave.

"Katniss, you are not crazy or emotionally unstable. You are pregnant. You have to remember that." He says and moves his hand to my stomach. He then pulls away like he's hand has been burnt. I grin, knowing exactly what he's felt. I place my hand where his was and chuckle.

"I take it she kicked you." I smile.

"She did that? That was her?" he asks, rushing back to place his hand back on my stomach. I nod and he goes to his knees. He then lifts my shirt and stares. She kicks on cue. His eyes are astonished and he leans in and kisses my belly. I run his hand through his hair and just stare at this moment between them.

"She kicks up a storm when she hears you." I tell him.

"When did you last see the doctors here?" he asks me.

"Do I need to?" I ask him, confused. Pregnant women never had to see doctors in 12.

"You know how they are here. Let's go see them and make sure she looks good." He tells me.

"Why is there something wrong? I feel fine." I ask, starting to panic. He stand, placing my shirt back down. He kisses me softly.

"You're fine, just come on. Besides, I think you'll want to see."

"See what? Peeta, what are you talking about?" He ignores me and take my hand, leading me up to the hospital. The woman at the desk smiles at us.

"What brings you in?" she asks, too cheery for my taste.

"We just want to see her doctor, you know to make sure everything is still good with the baby." Peeta tells her. The woman nods.

"Certainly. Follow me please." She says, getting up and leads us down the curtained hall. She pulls back a curtain and tell us my doctor will be in shortly. I sit there, annoyed that Peeta dragged me up here. The curtain opens and a woman around the same age as my mother enters the room.

"Hello, Katniss. I was about to tell President Coin I wanted to see how you were progressing. You beat me to the punch." She says and sits down on a stool next to the bed.

"Peeta insisted. I don't know why I need to be checked. I feel fine." I tell her, rolling my eyes. She chuckles.

"I see what you were talling me, Peeta. She is headstrong." She say. I turn my head toward him and give him a look that tells him he's going to pay.

"Okay, let's get started shall we. How's fetal movment?" she asks. I look at her like she's stupid.

"What?"

"How much does the baby move?" she asks.

"Oh, a lot. Constantly actually. She moves day and night."

"Excellent. The more a baby moves the better. It means they are healthy. How's your nausea?"

"It's better actually. Not nearly as bad as it was."

"That's to be expected since you are now in your second trimester."

"My second what?" I am so confused. I have no idea what she's talking about. My mother never used these words before, nor was it ever explained to me what exactly my body was going through.

"Your second trimester. Each pregnancy is measured in weeks, then broken into trimesters. A normal gestation is 40 weeks, which is broke down into 3 trimesters. If my calculations are correct you are twenty to twenty-one weeks, making you in your second trimester. Since you're conscious now, I can ask the questions Peeta couldn't answer." She says and takes out her pen and begins.

"When exactly do you think the child was conceived?" she asks. I smile because I don't think I know. I happened just before the announcement of the Quarter Quell.

"February 23rd. It was the day they announced the Quarter Quell rules. How could Peeta not answer that? It was the first and only time we were together before the games started." I look to Peeta and he shrugs his shoulders.

"He couldn't exactly remember the date at the time. I am pretty sure he was still recovering and was disoriented."

"Oh."

"How long before you realized you were actually pregnant?" I blush because I feel stupid.

"I didn't know until the night of the interviews. I mean I had been sick and to be honest my periods weren't regular. I grew up in starving so my body was constantly undernourished and stress. I didn't even notice they had stopped. I was pretty far along before I realized it."

"I see, and you are correct that you were pretty far along. Further along that I had originally calculated. I see why though. As you stated your body has always been undernourished and stress and taking in to consideration your time in the games, the baby measures small. Let's get a better look and see how's she's doing." She says and she instructs me to lay down and pull my shirt up. I roll my eyes again, but do as she asks. She goes over to the machine in the room, it looks like one of the televisions from the capitol train that was used to spy on the other districts. I close my eyes and refuse to let that get to me right now.

"Here's the cool part, Katniss." Peeta whispers to me and takes my hand as the doctor turns the machine on. She then squirts my belly with some gel and I shiver because it's cold.

"Oh, sorry, I should have warned you. Okay here we go." She says and places a small wand looking thing over my stomach and starts moving it around. The noise is first. It sounds like swooshing but it's fast. I listen carefully and I look to Peeta and he's smiling like a fool.

"That's her heartbeat." He whispers. I jerk my head to the doctor and she nods in confirmation.

"It's so fast." I say and she grins.

"It's supposed to be. It's normal." She says and reaches over and presses a button and the screen comes on. I gasp instantly. I don't need anyone to explain to it to me because it's clear as a bell. There on that screen is my baby. I see her head and watch her move her arms and legs. It's incredible to see the movement that I'm feeling. I place my hand over my mouth and take it in. She's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. The doctor moves the wand around until she gets an angle she wants. I smile because the angle she has it at is of her butt and legs.

"It's most definitely a little girl, and she's not afraid to let us know." She said and freezes the image. I knew she was a girl. I knew from the moment I felt her move in the arena. The doctor shut off the screen and I protest. I would lie here and stare at her for hours. The doctor smiles and hands me a few pieces of paper, pictures of our daughter. She wipes off my stomach and I sit up, pulling back down my shirt.

"Okay, so my calculations were incorrect. I just assumed based on your measurements. You are 28 weeks along, this means that you are limited on physical activity. Any strenuous activity can cause pre-term labor and you are so young that it's common for young mothers to deliver early. The fact that your body had been under so much stress to this point also risks this as well. You do measure small and so does the baby, but it's nothing to work about. She's perfectly healthy and developing right on schedule. Try to stay calm, Katniss. From what I've heard about you, that may be a challenge, but it's something we cannot compromise on. She is counting on you. You're due around Christmas. Congratulations." She explains. My head is spinning. This is too much to take in at once. I could risk her safety? I knew that I was further along than what they told Peeta.

"December, okay. What month is it?" I ask.

"It's September." She says and leaves the room. The room begins to spin and I panic. Three months. I only have three months and this baby will be here. Suddenly the wall in front of us is illuminated and the Capitol seal is shown, followed by Snow's face. He is telling everyone that I am a monster and then goes to show me in 8 shooting down a hovercraft, the line cuts and it's Coin's face that is shown. They go on with this counter attack for a few minutes until the screen goes black. I get up and both of us go to Command. Everyone is there. Before anyone can speak the screen comes back on and there's Finnick, next to him is Cinna. Both are polished but it's not hiding the looks of despair in their eyes. They both are speaking directly to me. I don't hear what they are saying, because I can only focus on their pain. They are being tortured because of me. That's when I hear my name.

"Katniss, this ends tonight. You and 13 will die." Finnick says and the stage goes in a riot. The camera is dropped and all you see is scrambling feet and blood splatter the lens of the camera before it goes dark. I realize what Finnick has said and I stand.

"They're coming. We have to take cover." I tell them. Coin just stand there, calmly, nodding her head.

"We haven't done a drill in a while, let's get one going." She said and presses a few buttons. Peeta grabs one arm and Boggs grabs another. Suddenly I'm being dragged down flights of stairs, my ears pop and I realize how far deep we are. Sirens are going off, people are being evacuated and suddenly we stop. Peeta takes me to where we are to go and I sit and wait. He goes and gets everything we need and we wait. I see my mother first, she's with the patients from the hospital. I don't see Prim.

"Mom, where's Prim?" I yell. Mom searches around her.

"Isn't she here? She left before I did." She sayd and I know where she has gone. She's gone after the cat. I sprint as fast as I can to the door, which is being shut.

"No, my sister isn't here." I scream trying to push myself through the guards.

"I'm here Katniss! I'm here!" I hear her call. She's coming through a crowd just behind the door. She comes in and I immediately take her in my arms.

"I couldn't leave him Katniss." She says and I understand. I'm glad that mine and Peeta's area is adjacent to my mother and sister's. At least we are all together. It's quiet now as we await further instructions. Coin's voice fills the cavern.

"This is not a drill. Thanks to the warning given by Finnick Odair, we are all safe. I ask…" the voice booms then it's cut off with the first bomb. It radiates the cavern but nothing moves. Not even a speck of dust falls from the rock. Prim then goes on to explain the process of how bombing 13 would be like under a bigger attack. There's no use in bombing the surface. We are all underground. She explains the bombs they are using dig deep into the earth before exploding. But we are too far to reach. I'm honestly too tired to even think about it. I lay down on the mattress, thankful that Peeta has placed it on the floor and not on the bunks that are carved out of the rock. I wouldn't feel comfortable. Peeta lays behind me, his arm draped protectively over my stomach and we wait.


End file.
